Yesterday is History
by TheCoffeeShopMuse
Summary: Set after those famous four words. Rose Hathaway has not been heard from or seen for 5 years. The Moroi world is now falling apart with rising Strigoi numbers and falling Dhampir numbers. Now Rose Mazur has received the call for help, and she offers up a proposition the Guardians cannot refuse. What sparks will fly when the past and present collide?
1. Prologue

**This idea has been knocking around in my head for a while now, and I just want to get it out there. So, I've decided to simply sit my butt down, and write. Reviews and constructive criticisms and welcomed! Thank You!**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

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_**Set after those famous four words. Rose Hathaway has not been heard from or seen for 5 years. The Moroi/Dhampir world is now falling apart with rising Strigoi numbers and falling dhampir numbers. Now, Rose Mazur has received the call for help, and she's a coming! And the best part? She's bringing a few friends who know how to kick ass and raise hell.**_

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**Prologue**

**Rose Hathaway**

I smiled a watery smile at the men before me before hoisting my duffle bag onto my shoulder.

"Well, I guess this is it…" I trailed off.

Adrian and Eddie smiled back at me, soft, sad smiles.

"Try and call me as soon as you get there, wherever 'there' is." Eddie said, pulling me into a tight bear hug.

I hugged him back. Eddie Castile was and always will be one of my most loyal friends, one of my best. Holy shit I would miss him. But I had to go, to take this new opportunity, whatever it was.

"Little Dhampir," Adrian murmured as I embraced him, "promise to keep in touch?"

"If I don't you have your ways of keeping me in touch," I grinned, flicking his forehead.

He chuckled, "I suppose I do."

I pulled back and grinned, staring into his eyes. "For what it's worth, you weren't the worst boyfriend I ever had, actually, due to the small sample size, you're actually in the top three."

"I knew it! Ha!" Adrian boasted, a self-satisfied grin on his arrogant face.

The three of us stood still for a moment, not sure of what to do, not wanting to say goodbye when Christian came back from the restroom. He coughed uncomfortably and fidgeted in place.

"Ok, I guess…this is it. Thanks for the lift…I guess." He muttered. Sparky and his wondrous social skills, at least I would have that to keep me company.

The three guys exchanged some awkward man hugs, before we truly had to leave or risk missing our flights. As I stepped through the security barrier, I looked back at the two remaining people who hadn't abandoned me. Eddie and Adrian waved one last time, and I managed a weak smile before moving further through security with Christian. We passed through metal detectors and collected our bags out on the other end before heading toward our gate.

"_Rose. Please stop. Please stay away."_

In an undertone, I murmured, "This isn't over. I won't give up on you."

_"I've given up on you," he said back, voice also soft. "Love fades. Mine has."_

_I busted out of the church, fighting back tears, not wanting to breakdown in public. I am Rose freaking Hathaway. I do not cry. I do not cry. I do not cry. I do not possess tear ducts. I kept up my chant until I couldn't anymore. Collapsing in a secluded alley, I just couldn't stop the tears._

_Swiping angrily at one that fell down my cheek, I laughed, a strange, hysterical sound that tore from my throat. I was so goddamn foolish to believe that all would be ok now. That Dimitri and I would simply run back into each other's arms and we'd all live happily ever after. I never thought he'd ignore me. But no, he treats me like trash his needs to desperately throw away while kissing the ground Lissa walked on. I mean I just quit school, busted out a criminal from the highest ranking security prison, and put my life and heart on the line for him! And what did Lissa do? Get herself kidnapped, shoved the stake through his heart, and then treats him like her baby while shoving aside everyone else. I knew things between her and Christian were shakey, and it was just getting worse as she focused all her attention on Dimitri._

_I pushed back the anger threatening to pull me in, I needed to calm down, to think rationally._

_I needed…I needed..I need…_

"_Petrov."_

"_Alberta?" I said as I paced in my room, "it's Rose Hathaway. I need your help. I need a job. Now. Anywhere, I don't care where it is, I just need out of Court."_

"_Rose? Wha-what do you mean?" Came Alberta's surpised voice._

"_A job. Far, far away from Court. Please." I pleaded, ending in a whisper._

_She signed through the phone. "I'll call out a contact I have, I think I may have something for you."_

"_Thank you." I breathed out in relief, falling back onto my bed before the sheer emotional impact of the day lulled my to a fitful sleep. _

_When Alberta called back, the sun had just risen. She had found me a job, and my flight left at midnight, or noon by Moroi standards. That gave me enough time to do what I had to do…_

_A few minutes later I found myself in front of a familiar door, poised to knock. But before I could, he door swung back, and Adrian was there. He seemed to know what was about to occur, seeming to peacefully resign himself to that fact._

"_Come in." He said, sweeping aside and letting me come in. _

_I headed toward the couch as he went toward the fridge and poured himself a drink. He came back and plopped down beside me on the couch._

"_Little Dhampir," he sighed, "what are we going to do with you?"_

_I didn't reply, simply looking down and forcing a tight smile onto my face._

"_This is it, isn't it?" Adrian murmured before taking a sip of his drink._

_With a rueful smile, I replied, "Is it really that obvious?"_

"_Well, I can just read you well. And your aura's practically been screaming it at me since, well since Belikov's been back if I'm honest."_

_There was no anger, no resentment in his tone, just resigned sadness. God, this so did not help my guilt or make any of this any easier._

"_You don't know how badly I wish I could commit myself to you Adrian. I really wish I could, but you have to know, that – that we would've never worked out in the end. Too many variables against us. Like your father for one. "_

"_And this twisted, fucked up society in general."_

"_And your love of drinking and smoking."_

"_And your inability to love anyone the way you love Belikov." Adrian said, slipping an arm around me. I leaned into him, wondering how he could be so accepting when he had every right to yell and throw stuff. This was the most amiable breakup ever, I mused._

_I couldn't dispute that, not when I know it's the truth. "Yeah, I supposed there's that too…"_

_Together, we sat in companionable silence for a while._

"_I'm leaving." I blurted out. "Tonight. I need to get away, I can't stay here. Not anymore."_

_Adrian shot up and then kneeled in front of me with pleading eyes, "Little Dhampir…"_

"_No, please don't. Do not try to stop me. I know what I'm giving up; you, Eddie, Lissa, my job. I know Adrian! But I just don't know who I am anymore. All my life I thought I knew what I wanted; to become a kick-ass Guardian, graduate, and guard Lissa. But no, not anymore. I cannot guard someone who ignores me, shames me, belittles me, I just cannot do it anymore Adrian!" I ended with a whisper, sinking further into the couch._

_Adrian's eyes softened, and he sat back onto the couch, knowing not to fight me._

"_Will you promise to remember me once you're gone, out into the big scary world?" He quipped._

"_You're pretty unforgettable." I grinned._

"_Damn straight!" He cheered and we both laughed._

_He leaned forward and kissed me softly. This was not a romantic kiss, it was a kiss goodbye, to us, and to me._

_We pulled back, and I smiled, feeling the most content I had in days. Hell, let's be honest here, in months!_

"_You know who else is hurting?" Adrian suddenly asked._

_I turned to him inquiringly._

"_Christian. You know how him and Lissa were beginning to patch things up? Yeah, well, considering Lissa's been spending all her time with Belikov and those kiss-ass royals, you know, the ones she calls her 'friends?' Anyway, he's been feeling rather neglected, again. Oh, and add to the fact that Lissa was seen leaving a club in the arms of a certain Aaron Dashkov…yeah, not helping their situation. I think he's done. Truly and completely done with her."_

_I stared back wide eyed. What the hell. What was wrong with Lissa? What was wrong with the world!? I had not heard of any of this! Shit, how out of it have I been? I'd never thought I'd say this but…poor Fire Crotch._

_It was this line of thinking that led me to Christian Ozera's door. After copious amounts of knocking, the door finally opened to reveal Christian Ozera, looking tired and without his usual sardonic smirk._

_Before he could say anything I started, "I'm leaving, tonight. I've got a new job, and if you want to come with me, be at my room at 9 o'clock sharp." I then turned to leave, not waiting for his reply._

"_You want to know how I found her?" Christian's voice suddenly rang out. I paused and turned._

"_Found her leaving the Dashkov wing, doing the walk of shame." He laughed bitterly. "When I confronted her about it she lashed out. As if it was my fault, that I drove her into the arms of Dashkov. Then I confronted her about Belikov, about how she doesn't need to baby him, how she should let you speak to him."_

_I stared, surprised. Christian Ozera, standing up for me?_

"_She called me a cruel, heartless asshole. That I needed to grow up and see the 'trauma and emotional breakdown' Belikov's going through or get the fuck out of her life." Okay, that's just plain harsh._

"_9 o'clock." I repeated. He nodded before shutting the door._

"Rose, Rose." Christian's voice shocked me out of the memories I had fallen into.

"We're boarding." He said, getting up.

I retrieved my duffle, stood, and headed to the gate.

I had a broken heart, a bag of personal belongings, a plane ticket, a Sparky, and an uncertain future. So, with a heavy heart and queasy stomach, I set off, to take on my new life.

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Hoped you enjoyed that! I know this concept has been done to death, but just bear with me, I promise some surpises along the way. Please read and review!


	2. 5 Years Later

**I am so happy you guys liked the first chapter! Here's chapter 2, bit of a time jump here!**

**Special shoutout to Yaru101 for being my first reviewer!  
**

**Also - I just want you all to know that the planned endgame is Dimitri and Rose.**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

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**Rose Hathaway**

**5 Years Later**

I could feel him behind me.

The familiar melody began, and I felt him get closer.

Rough, calloused hands skimmed down the sides of my breasts, down to my waist where they came to rest. He grasped me gently, turned me around to face him, pulling my body flush against his. My brown eyes locked with his gray ones, his hands reflexively squeezed my hips as I brought up one hand

to his rather impressive bicep, the other landing on the nape of his neck, where my fingers entwined with the short hairs at the back of his head.

And so we began.

Our movements were frantic, yet controlled; wild but tense. He led me around the room in tight circles, our hands roaming and squeezing as we danced, as if we were long lost lovers finally reunited after so long. And we were actually dancing, none of that horrible grinding that everyone in every club did no matter what the song was.

Suddenly I stopped in the middle of the room. My hands began to drift down from his shoulders to his chest, where I could feel the hard, taught muscles that lay there. My body began to slide down his, my nose grazing the top of his abs, my hands at his belt loops. My butt popped out of its own accord, my leg swept back, kicking the ground with the toe of my foot, before sweeping around in a semi-circle. However before I could go lower, his hand caught my ankle, forcing me to pause and look up at him. His hand began to travel up, up, up to my thigh. He then turned me, so that my back was flush to his front, hands came to rest around my throat and on my stomach. My eyes drooped, my head lulled back to rest in the crook of his neck. We manipulated my body to curl around his, preparing for the lift. My arms reached backwards to wrap around his neck, my legs gripped his as I felt myself leave the ground and we began to spin round and round and round…

And then he dropped me, sending both of us crashing to the floor.

"Damnit Noble!" I shrieked, rubbing my hip as I glared at the man sprawled out next to me, who had the audacity to be laughing.

"Sorry 'bout that love." Ben chuckled in his lilting English accent.

I kicked his shin lightly. "Don't "love" me!" I said, mimicking his accent.

"Okay then." He grinned. "Sorry 'bout that you loud, insufferable Yank of a shrew."

"That's better, Harry Potter." I teased.

"Dude, that like…hurt. Like seriously." He deadpanned in a pothead surfer accent.

"Wanker!" I laughed, shoving his shoulder.

"Why you-" Ben's retort was cut off by the alarm on his phone going off.

We both spun around to look at the clock in the room, which read 6:30 PM. Well, time to get back to our day jobs.

"Shit!" He muttered, getting up and unplugging his phone from the stereo before coming back to help me up off the floor. "Christian."

"Oh no! We left our charge, who specializes in Fire and graduated with top marks in his Moroi Offense classes, alone in one of the safest dimensions in the universe! We're gonna get fired!" I cried, rolling my eyes.

"Ten bucks the boy's still asleep."

"Actually, he's most definitely still asleep. Josh texted saying he had a rather late night last night." I smirked, miming chugging from a bottle.

"Hey, the guy's just graduated from uni. It's practically tradition to go out and get absolutely smashed." Ben said, "We need to get going. If he's conscious he's probably wanting a hangover potion."

I head to the ladies changing room to get out of my sweats and a few minutes later I emerge from the ladies changing room in my Elite uniform, my partner already in his as well.

"Ready for the night shift?" Ben asked as we headed toward the exit, waving to some cast members of _MacBeth_, which was playing its last few shows at the theater this week.

We stepped out of the Spero Theater and onto the busy street. People are wrong about New York being the city that never sleeps because it is truly Lux that never sleeps. During the day, Nephilim, Witches, Wizards, and Werewolves (just to name a few species) go about their day, heading to work, school, whatever. During the night however, the vampires (or at least four of the six sub species of vampire), faeries, and goblins (again, just to name a few) do their daily grind. So everything here is truly open for 24 hours a day; malls, museums, schools, offices, all of them.

As we headed toward the city center, the news was showing on the enormous jumbotron situated on one of the high rises.

"In other inter-dimensional news, even though Guardian numbers are dwindling down at a scarily rapid rate, Moroi Queen Tatiana Ivashkov and the Royal Council have yet to take firm action to protect not only Moroi, but Guardians as well. And with sources telling us about a possible rebellion amongst the Guardians, they have been come up with a plan fast." The news broadcaster reported.

"Sweetheart, you know that only reason I endure the wretched Monday night shift is because of you!" I squeal, fluttering my eyelashes while Ben rolls his eyes.

"Darling, the only reason I make it through Mondays is due to the knowledge I get to spend 14 hours of it with you!" He replies.

"Oh Benjamin!" I gush as we head down the streets and head toward the familiar sleek gray high rise.

"Get a room!"

We look away from each other and see Lev, Denis, Arthur, and Dianna coming out of Elite Headquarters.

"Hey boys. Di. Clocked out?"

"Yep, and just in time too." Lev grins.

"Yeah, this one's got a hot date with his lady. " Denis says elbowing Arthur, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

Arthur flushes. He's always been the quietest out of their little trio. And the topic he's most quiet about?

His relationship with Ana, which I guess makes sense considering we all love to give him a hard time on it.

"Guys, stop. Don't be jealous that Arthur actually has a girlfriend while the closest you two have come to scoring with a member of the opposite sex was with a guy dressed in a Daenerys Targaryen costume at Comic Con last year, and some drunk chick who ending up leaving mid-date for her ex." Dianna rolled her eyes

Lev bristled. "He was very skinny, had a flawless complexion, and told me his name was Kim!"

Denis defended, "It was going well until her stupid ex showed up, using all sappy words and declaring his love!"

"Mhmm, mhm, yeah, all I'm hearing is that you two are pathetic." I say, smirking.

"Oh, you're getting that signal as well?" Ben grins as we nod vigorously at each other and Dianna cracks up.

"You suck." Denis glares before he leaves.

"Worst. Boss. Ever." Lev says dramatically, winking, before heading off too.

"That's right, insult the woman who signs off on your performance reports!" I call out, flipping them off.

They laugh, return the favor and disappear into the crowd.

"You and Ana have fun tonight alright? And enjoy your vacation. We'll see you in two weeks." I say, smiling at Arthur.

"Thanks." He grins. "How's the dance coming along?"

"Great, except you know, for the fact that my ass hurts from the amount of times this one has dropped me!" I say, giving Ben some serious side eye.

"What? You think my ass doesn't hurt from trying to lift and drag yours around?"

"I seem to recall a mission where you managed to drag both our asses to safety and managed to kick the ass of that Raeger demon that was after us."

"Well, I gotta get home, got a date with Ben and Jerry and my bathtub. I'll leave you two to your ass conversation." Dianna sings as she heads off and Arthur soon leaves as well for his date.

"Hey, we just need to get through this week and we'll be on vacation too." Ben says in response to my pouty, or as he calls it, platypus face.

Ben and I head into Elite HQ and clock in before setting off for Christian's apartment. Right as we're leaving the building, my phone rings, playing my specialized ring tone for Christian.

"Rose? Ben? Could you bring over some of Leigha's hangover potion for me? Thanks? Oh, and could you also figure out a way to make the sun stop shining so freaking brightly? Thanks." Christian grumbles, sounding much like death, before hanging up.

"Our charge, what a peach." I sigh, pocketing my phone.

"Look on the bright side," Ben grins, "he's so hungover he'll sleep for the rest of the day..."

"Leaving us, his loyal Patronus, free to eat the food in his refrigerator." I grin back, catching on.

"And use his new shiny flat-screen to watch that Doctor Who marathon on today." Ben finishes.

"I do love the way you think! Geronimo!" I sing as I grab Ben's hand and start pulling down the street.

"God, I hate how you've made me into a nerd." I huff a few steps later, realizing what I just said, in public no less.

"You wish! You love me, and everything about me, including how I have made you embrace that inner nerd living inside that cold heart of yours." He retorts cheekily, linking arms with me as we continue down the street.

Ladies and Gentlemen, may I introduce to you, Benjamin Noble. My partner and my best friend. Dear God do I love him.

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**Ok, I know you're confused, BUT about 75% of what's going on will be explained in the next chapter. Just trust me. ;)**

**As always, please read and review! Seeing your reviews in my inbox always make me excited!**


	3. Hello Old Friend

**Hey guys! I'm back with another new chapter, and hopefully this one will clear almost everything up. Thanks for the reviews last chapter, but I've seem to have lost a lot of you with the last chapter. :( Was it too confusing? Boring? I would love some feedback, just to know what you guys are thinking! **

**Not a lot of action is chapter, mostly explanation, but I needed to take this chapter to explain the setting and backstory! I promise, after this chapter, the real action will begin! Just have faith!  
**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

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**Rose Hathaway**

Ben and I did indeed spend most of our day eating Christian's leftovers and watching Doctor Who while Christian alternated between snoozing and grumbling about his hangover. We were relieved by Lev and Isabella and picked up some dinner before splitting up; Ben went home while I headed over to the Elite. I headed up to Team Eight's floor and began the paperwork. A few hours later I sat back in my office chair, glad that for once I had finally finished all the performance reports I had to do for the team before my vacation started next week. Standing, I stretched and made my way to the office door, eager to head back to my apartment and get a few hours of shut eye before my next shift started in a few hours.

When Christian and I left 5 years ago, I would have never imagined my life would turn out like this. Alberta, bless her soul, had sent us to Lux. What is the Lux you ask? The Lux was a completely different dimension, a new world completely different from the Moroi world Christian and I were accustomed to. It is a melting pot of worlds, cultures, and species. We found out there were at least six different types of vampires. Not only that, there were werewolves, nephilim, witches and wizards, and so many more. We were sent to Caelum, which acted like the capital city for Lux. It was as if someone had blended New York with Rome. The city was the place for the modern, the cutting edge, the hustle and bustle of a big city; but it also had the beautiful architecture and laid back feel of the country. But the best part? Caelum was also home to Elite Headquarters and Guardian Headquarters.

I was originally sent to the Guardians, which, of course, made sense. The Guardian system here was totally different from the stuff that was pounded into me since birth. While I had been trained to defend, Guardians here received both defense and offense training. There were two sectors in the Other Realm Guardian system. One sector who did the more traditional guarding duties, but even here the guarding job was way more relaxed for two reasons. One, the threat of Strigoi was way less here. IN fact, you wanna guess the dimension with the highest Strigoi count? Yep, you got it, the Moroi world had the highest count. And two, Moroi here actually took…dun dun dun…defensive magic and some combat classes. Shhh…can you hear that? It's the sound of the all those old pretentious royals from Court falling out of their overpriced chairs in horror over the thought of actually getting off their asses and defending their selves.

The other sector was responsible for going out and eliminating the threat. And man do they do their job. They were meticulous, planning out their raids and missions, always managing to eliminate covens of Strigoi before they even had the chance to strike. This greatly effected Strigoi numbers here, and many of them fled to other dimensions, and the Guardians were beginning to branch out and follow them.

Then there's the Elite. While the Guardians took care of the Strigoi, the Elite agents took care of everything else. For years I thought Strigoi were the deadliest beings out there. Oh, I was so wrong. There were so many others creatures out there who chose to walk on the dark path. The Elite was much like the Guardians, but they were not just limited to Dhampirs. Any person of any species could join the Elite, just as long as they passed the rigorous training. When I chose to join the Elite over the Guardians, I found out that though my Guardian training had fulfilled most of the necessary classes for the Elite, I still had to go through some major weapons training and even took some rudimentary classes; like Potions, Latin, Mythology, History of the Elite, just to name a few, to help me settle in and gain more knowledge about this world.

My education at the Elite took two years, and after that came Elite IV. In the Elite there were four stages. Elite IV was like a sampler of all the Elite had to offer. There you got to choose which sector you wanted to go to, and the Elite had many sectors; field agents, technical analysts, the Patronus (the Elite's version of Guardians), and many, many more. Elite III was where you had exposure to the sector you chose, but it was guided. And you could not move on until you were deemed ready for Elite II. There you really learned the ropes of the sector, and perfected your skills. From Elite II, you advance to Elite I. And finally, at Elite I, you've arrived. You are now a full-fledged Elite Agent, free to kickass in the field you chose.

I had chosen the field agent route. The field agents were much like the newer Guardians, we went out on missions and fought to neutralize the threat. Field agents are usually partnered up and then put into teams. In our team, Team 8, there were ten of us. We usually went out on missions in smaller groups or just with our partner, but sometimes a threat was big enough to require an entire group, or even groups.

After I had chosen to join the Elite and become a field agent, I thought I had left my guarding days behind me. I just did not factor I one thing; Christian. Out of all of the Guardians he could have chosen, he instead chose a Patronus, more accurately, he wanted me. Well, he got more than he ever expected because he not only got me, he got our entire team. The boy who never had a Guardian his entire life now had fourteen people defending him. We divided the work up by days, two of us per day for the entire week with weekends being open to whoever was avaliable.

Overall, life was amazing here. I had an awesome job, fantastic friends, and dare I say it, a charge who does not drive me crazy all the time. Two years ago the rest of the group had elected me team leader after Jay, the original team leader, had to step down due to the birth of his son, Jack. You see, while the team leader did not have more risks involved, they did have more paperwork to do than the average agent and Jay wanted to have more time to spend with his new family. I was nervous, but thrilled at the same time. I mean, Rose Hathaway, the girl who broke every rule in the Guardian handbook, as a team leader in the Elite? Oh, if only Hans could see me now…

I was brought out of my reverie by my phone ringing his special ringing tone.

_A fool like me, a fool like me__  
__And when your momma sees me callin' on your telephone, she hangs up on me__  
__That bitch hangs up on me__  
__Yeah I know__  
__That I'm a grown ass man__  
__Who still acts like an idiot__  
__But Lord he must have been in a good mood the day__  
__He let a girl like you__  
__Choose to take a fool like me_

A smile came to my face as I reached for my phone and answered. It had been a while since we had spoken.

"Hello old friend."

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**Who can tell me where that last quote from? If you can, you'll get a sneak peak of the next chapter!**

** Hmmm…an old friend, I wonder who it could be. Hint: the answer is in the song! Please review, I love getting them, and I will hopefully see you guys soon!**


	4. Court

**Hey guys! Thank you all for your responses to the last chapter, it is also so exciting for me to log into my email and see some reviews waiting for me. You guys rock! For all of those who put their two cents in about who called…you will see who it was this chapter. And special shout out to DrunkenSage for figuring out the Doctor Who reference in the last chapter. Congrats!**

**Anyway, this chapter turned out way longer than I intended it to, but I had to get certain things in here. So, let us proceed, and see how life has been at Court!**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

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**Adrian Ivashkov**

"There are rumors of rebellion! We cannot stand for that!" Henri Badica roared, flying out of his seat in what he probably thought was a grand gesture, but it really just made him look like flapping chicken.

"We need to do something! If the Guardians will not serve us, why should we keep them around?" Prisilla Conta sniffed from her seat.

"I still think we should re-visit the idea of defensive ma-" one of the more liberal Tarus' began before she was cut off.

"If we Moroi can protect ourselves, why do we even keep the Dhampirs around anyway? I mean, judging by our current situation, they have done a disgraceful job serving their duty." Henri Badica said with disdain.

"I still think we should think about lowering the age from eighteen to seventeen. Or maybe have two Moroi for each Guardian!" Lady Cecil Dashkov interjected brightly.

Stupidity, it was ripe and plentiful here.

As more and more Moroi got riled up and began to inject their own "helpful" ideas, my great aunt intervened.

"Order! Order!" She barked, pounding her gavel, causing the room to settle down. "While the matter of Dhampir loyalty is something that affects all of the Moroi, I feel that it would be more…prudent for this to be discussed amongst my advisors and I. Once we have reached a consensus on what to do, we will return and share our opinions." Great-Aunt banged her gavel once more and just like that the meeting was adjourned.

As disgruntled Moroi began to leave the chamber, with the very Guardians they were putting down earlier, the chatter and panic began to spread.

"How can they rebel?"

"What will we do?"

"What have we done wrong? I mean, I think we treat the Dhampirs well."

"They like fighting, it's like…their thing." Serena Conta said brightly in her air head tone of voice.

"I know right?! I mean, I think their lives are pretty sweet. They get to fight, and they get to work for us, and it's not like working for us is like…bad! I mean, they get to look at us all day! I would love to get paid to look at me all day." Her twin sister, Cynthia, said with a flick of her strawberry blonde hair. "What do you think L?"

I couldn't help it, and snorted in disdain over that fact that she actually let people call her that.

Lissa, hearing me, turned and shot me a dirty look before turning her attention back to her little pack. "I am simply so afraid of the ever increasing Strigoi attacks. How could they have let the problem gotten to this point?" She sniffed as her followers surrounded her and twittered their agreements.

Lissa Dragomir, the once sweet, level headed girl was gone. She had been replaced with "L," as her little pack of sycophants called her, or "Li-Li," as her new boyfriend, Miles, endearingly referred to her. She now spent her days at Lehigh, majoring in political science, the major my Great-Aunt suggested she take, and spent her free time with her sorority sisters from the Alpha Gamma Delta chapter. As far as everyone else was concerned, Lissa Dragomir had become Tatiana's very definition of the perfect little royal, but I knew better.

I knew Lissa well enough that when she said 'they' she meant we, the Moroi, not the Guardians like her little followers thought. I could see the hurt still lingering in her aura from having her best friend and boyfriend run off together. I could see the guilt that threaded through her from how she treated Rose and what she did to Christian. I could see the undercurrent of worry that had never left her these five years, not knowing what had happened to her best friend and ex-boyfriend, the two people she cared for most in the world. But sadly, these were all buried under the care-free, royal-pleasing Lissa Dragomir.

I shook my head and exited the chamber, my ever present, faithful Guardian appearing to flank my side.

We didn't say anything to each other as we exited the hallways. We continued our silence though the groups of complaining Moroi and silent, complacent Guardians, until we got to the main door that led to outside.

I grinned at the Guardian on duty there. "Belikov."

Beside me, Eddie's formerly blank face turned ever so slightly cold, and his aura showed twinges of anger, pity, and smugness. Anger because he was still shocked at how Belikov treated Rose after all she did for him. Pity because the Russian had truly fallen apart when Rose left. Sure his reputation was eventually restored, but not to the degree it was before he became Strigoi. However, Belikov could give a rat's ass about that, all he cared about was Rose. The man had spent a year travelling the world trying to find her. He had crisscrossed the United States, jumped over to Russia, Romania, Turkey; any place that had ties to the Moroi world or Rose.

He came back empty-handed.

Rose was in none of those places. She was in a much better place.

Belikov's life had been centered on two things; being a Guardian and Rose. And since Rose was now gone, he had thrown himself back into being a Guardian. Sure, outwardly Belikov was the perfect Guardian: silent, loyal, lethal, but on the inside? On the inside the guy was a mess. His aura was a jumbled mess of depression, guilt, anger, regret, bitterness; the list goes on. Dimitri Belikov had destroyed the best thing that ever happened to him, and in turn he had destroyed himself.

"Lord Ivashkov, Guardian Castile." He nodded formally before moving aside and letting us through.

"Belikov," Eddie grunted before brushing past him.

"Thank you." I nodded, slapping the man on the back then following Eddie out.

When outside we started heading toward my quarters. It was a mostly silent walk. It was getting late, and I was feeling hungry. After a small detour to the Feeders, Eddie and I finally made it to my room.

Before I could open the door myself, a petite blonde whirlwind opened it for me.

"How did it go? Did they come up with anything? What's going to happen?" Sydney Sage rushed out, her honey eyes filled with concern.

"It was a room full of prejudiced, uninformed snobs trying to decide the fate of a race that they consider nothing more than servants. How do you think it went?" I snorted. "Luckily for you, you are dating one of the non-prejudiced, educated, and much better looking ones." I grinned as she rolled her eyes.

Two years after Rose and Christian left Sydney Sage had been summoned to Court by none other than Abe Mazur to help with the search for Rose. Abe and Guardian Hathaway had spent the better part of the last five years searching endlessly for their daughter. Abe had called every one last of his men, every last one of his vast resources to scour the globe for Rose. Their search was futile and came back empty. Janine Hathaway called Guardians and academies all over the world to see if Rose had ended up at one, but her search came up empty as well.

When Sydney arrived at Court Abe had given her a map, a list of places, and money to fund her trip. She was to focus her search for Rose in Europe and being the gallivant gentleman that I am, I volunteered to accompany her. I would never figure out the real reason I volunteered to join her. There was just something that drew me to her. She protested at first, not wanting to travel across Europe with two of the "evil creatures of the night."

_She scowled as Eddie and I boarded the private jet Abe had provided for us. _

"_I don't see why you two have to come with me. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself."_

"_We're going for the same reason you are Cupcake, to track down the ever elusive Rose Hathaway." I grinned at her as Eddie snorted. _

"_Liar, liar pants on fire." He whispered as he walked past me to take his seat. And he was right; we knew where Rose and Christian were. Eddie, though annoyed that we were lying to a girl, who had done no harm to Rose ever, was excited to get out of Court, away from the stress, paperwork and prejudices that plagued him there._

"_Look, I know you're worried about Rose. I can see it. You care about her just as much as the rest of us do." I said as I turned back to Sydney, "Despite the fact that she's an "evil creature of the night." Why is that?" I smirked down at the little Alchemist._

"_Because her father called me and told me to go look for her?" She responded, lying through her teeth._

"_You could have said no."_

"_No one says no to Abe Mazur."_

"_You could have. He wouldn't have done anything to you if you said no. The man may be dangerous, intimidating and insane, but he wouldn't hurt an innocent girl." I sat down in the seat opposite of hers and leaned forward, putting us face to face._

_Why haven't I noticed how pretty her eyes were until now? They were a rich shade of light brown, like honey, my favorite condiment/ingredient. _

"_I owe him a favor." She said, looking back at me with her unwavering gaze._

_I whistled. "My, my, what trouble could you have gotten into to need Abe Mazur to bail you out of?"_

"_None of your business." She sniffed primly._

_We were silent for a while as crew stowed away our luggage and came around to offer us refreshments. She requested a coffee, Eddie a Coke, and I chose a good old friend of mine, Jack._

_The plane was just about ready to go, when she spoke again. _

"_She left you right after she declared her everlasting love for her ex-boyfriend and yet here you are, leaving the comfort of Court to go on a wild goose chase for a girl whom we all know will never be found because she does not want to be. Why?" _

"_She's my friend." I responded honestly with a shrug. "This is what a friend would do."_

"_She's your ex-girlfriend."_

_I shook my head. "No, she's more than that. Rose Hathaway is my best friend. And to be honest, that's all she should have been from the beginning."_

"_Well then, it seems that we may have something in common after all." She said with the slightest of smiles._

"_What?" I raised an eyebrow._

"_She's my best friend too." She replied, settling back into her seat and looking out the window, effectively cutting off the conversation._

It would take three months and five countries for her to truly trust us, well Eddie at least. It would take her four months and seven countries for her to trust me, but the wait was worth it, because when she finally did trust me, it only took one more month for me to be able to call Sydney Sage my girlfriend. She claims she only fell for me because the beautiful Italian architecture clouded her judgment and made me more handsome than I actually was. Yet here we were, three years later, and she was still here with me. Of course, I had to tell her about Rose. It is not good to start a relationship with lies.

"_You want me, to walk into a wall?" Sydney raised an eyebrow at me and Eddie as we all stood in the hallway of my quarters._

"_It's not a wall," Eddie started._

"_It's a portal." I finished._

"_Really? Because it looks a lot like a regular brick wall to me." She challenged. I sighed. Usually I loved her fire cracker spirit that was hidden beneath the demure girl she showed the world, but today it was seriously hindering us._

"_Sydney, please, trust us. Rose has gone to a lot of trouble to get this portal to open here." Eddie pleaded. _

"_Rose? What do you mean Rose?! You mean Rose is inside the wall? You honestly want me to believe that Rose and Christian have been hiding inside a wall for the past two years? What is wr-hey! Put me down!" She started before I cut her off, throwing her over my shoulder, wincing as her began to pound her fists into my back. For someone so tiny, she sure could pack a punch._

"_Let's go," I said, turning to Eddie. He nodded and turned to the portal. He started toward it, and a few seconds later, disappeared into the wall._

"_Oh God. Eddie! Where'd he go!? What is going on here? What are you going to do-"_

"_Oh dear God woman! Calm down, shut up and trust me!" I said, exasperated, before heading toward the portal myself._

_Sydney continued to shriek as we approached the wall. I felt the weird jolt that always occurred during portal travel, and as soon as my body went through the wall, I was face to face with Rose Hathaway, her signature smirk already pasted on her face. _

_A second later I felt Sydney pull herself free from my arms, falling to the ground in an ungraceful heap. She shakily got up, and dusted herself off before settling her hands on her hips and a glare on her face._

"_Rose Hathaway! What in the world? Do you have any idea how worried we've all been about you?! Your parents, Belikov, not to mention me! I mean did you ever stop and think-" Sydney's little tirade was cutoff when Rose flung herself into her arms and held on tight. Living here the past few years has really made her a hugger._

"_I missed you to, Syd. I missed you too." Rose sighed. "But we'll have to catch up later. I've got a graduation to attend." And with that, she smirked, gave me a hug, then straightened out her graduation robes before proceeding to disappear into the crowd. _

"_We should go take our seats," said Christian Ozera from where he and Eddie stood. "The ceremony should start soon."_

"_Wha-" Sydney got out before she finally took a look at her surroundings, taking in the large stadium full of Elite graduates in their black robes, family and friends, and current and former Elite Agents._

_She continued to look around, looking like a fish with her mouth gaping open and closed every few seconds._

"_Yeah, it's a long story that I'm sure Rose will fill you in on later, okay? Now let's go to our seats." I said, guiding her toward our section._

I'd be lying if I said Sydney took the whole thing well. After Rose's graduation, we had gone to Rose's favorite diner to celebrate with all her friends. After about an hour of ranting and raving, Sydney calmed and broke down in Rose's arms, sobbing about how happy she was okay and how worried she had been. Since then we had been to Lux several times, to see Rose and Christian and their friends, and simply loving the general openness of the realm…

"You know what we need to do." I was brought out of my reverie by Eddie.

"We need to call her," he said, pacing back and forth. "She is the best, she can handle this type of crisis, and she can bring them! She has the connections we need!"

"And what makes you think that she'll come back?" I sighed, taking a gulp of my drink. "You know she left for a reason."

"She left because Belikov is a dumbass and because she thought the Princess didn't need her anymore. I know Rose Hathaway! She's one of the most loyal people I know. She wouldn't leave anyone in need of help; not Belikov after what he did to her, not even the Moroi after the way they treated her, if she did she wouldn't be Rose Hathaway." My girlfriend said with great affirmation and a cute little nod from her head.

"Those people ruined her. She was a wreck the first year she was gone. She lost weight, she cut off her hair, she broke down at any mention of anything Russian or pertaining to relationships." I started.

"That was four years ago." Eddie said, turning and looking at me intensely. "She's better now. And I mean that in every way; physically, mentally, and emotionally. She has Elite training, and she and Noble are one of the best duos the Elite have ever had! We all know she would love to show those who wronged her what she's got. Adrian, she's not that broken girl we saw off at the airport. She put herself together, they helped put her back together; Caelum, the Elite, they took Rose Hathaway and made her better. We need Rose, we need her team, hell, we need the Elite and their Guardians! I mean look at them, their Strigoi rate! They have techniques and weapons and training that make ours look like a joke- which it is- and they don't have a faction of their own threatening and planning a rebellion! We. Need. That! All of that!" Eddie finished, breathing harshly by the end of it.

He was right. Caelum had took Rose Hathaway and Christian Ozera and made them better versions of themselves, letting them reach and utilize their full potential. The Elite and Guardian programs were top notch, with state of the art training and equipment. And Rose…Rose would of course help us. She knew of the bleak situation at Court and she would never let her parents, Eddie, or any of us get hurt because of the Moroi's lack of action. And since the bond was broken two years ago she had been stronger mentally as well…

"Okay," I said, downing the rest of my drink before tossing my phone to Sydney. "Call her."

She dialed the familiar number, and a few seconds later her ridiculous ringtone for me rang out. A few more seconds later and…

"Hello Old Friend." I could hear the smile in her voice.

Sydney began, all business. "Rose, we need to talk."

* * *

**So, those of you who guessed Adrian were partially right. Congratulations!**

**Okay guys! We are really starting to get to the meat of the story here. I'd say…oh, about two more chapters before it all comes together. I don't know about you, but I cannot wait! Next up, we'll catch up with our favorite Russian! Wonder how he's been doing these past few years?**

**Anyway, random question for you all: If your best friend suddenly turned into a chocolate cake, what would your reaction be?**

**Look forward to your responses to the chapter and the question!**

**Until next time! **


	5. The Mind of a Broken Russian

**Hey guys! Thank you so much for all the responses I received from the last chapter!I loved reading your thoughts on the situation at Court and your responses to my chocolate cake question! It gave me the warm fuzzies...seriously, it did. Though some of you have some cannibalistic tendencies, but that's okay! (Kinda.) You guys rock my virtual world. Hope you enjoy this one.**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Dimitri Belikov**

"Dimitri?" The voice was clear and strong and one that I would know anywhere.

Roza.

"Roza?" I spun around, and there she was, my beautiful girl.

She was crouched behind a pile of sand bags, her eyes full of pain and pleading with me.

"Dimitri, please. I love you." Roza implored reaching toward me, her soulful eyes welling up with tears.

I wanted to run to her and tell her how much I love her too. I wanted to hold her soft, supple body against mine and never let go. I wanted to stroke her gorgeous mane of hair and just gaze at her perfect little face before kissing those full, plump lips of hers. I wanted to do all that I could do to express my love to my Roza.

However that did not happen.

What happened instead was my worst nightmare; history repeating itself.

"Dimitri? Please, I-I love you, so so much," she whimpered.

I had no control over my body; I could not rush forward and reassure her of my love, my mouth would not form the words that my mind so desperately wanted to say, instead, I said this:

"Roza…love fades, mine has."

_No!_ My mind cried as I watched Roza's face crumble before me, pain written all over it. She stood up, as if to walk toward me, when I noticed, for the first time, the Strigoi behind her. Standing up had alerted them of her location, and try as I might my voice and body would not work, preventing me from warning Roza of the threat behind her or grabbing her and running like I desperately wanted to. Instead, the Strigoi attacked, pulling out guns and fired round after round. The bullets did not harm to me. They didn't even reach me because they were all directed at Roza.

I watched in horror as bullet after bullet pierced her body, the most fatal shot going through her heart. I watched as Roza crumpled to the ground, blood still gushing from the wound, but it wasn't over yet. I watched helplessly as one of the Strigoi approached Roza's body.

"NO! NO GET AWAY FROM HER! DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HER. ROZA! ROZA!" I roared, my body still not cooperating with me, but the Strigoi paid no attention to me, instead leaning toward Roza.

The Strigoi reached a hand out, and with a sickening, crunching, squelching sound, plunged his hand into Roza's chest, before ripping out her heart from her chest. My knees gave out, my breath heavy as I felt bile rise in my throat. The Strigoi held up her heart like a trophy, all of them laughing their cold, chilling laughs, paying no attention to my wrecked self.

"Roza! Roza! No! Please! Roza! I'm so sorry, my Milaya! So-so sorry." I sobbed, my body finally working as I crawled helplessly toward her lifeless body. "Roza, Roza,-"

"Roza!" I yelled as I bolted up in my bed.

My room was silent, as always, save for the harsh breaths coming from me. Shakily, I brought my hands up to my face, scrubbing harshly, as if it would erase the horrible nightmare from my head.

It never did. For the past five years my dreams all revolved around Rose Hathaway. Some started out with us happy, some started horrifically, but either way, they always ended with her being taken away from me, leaving me alone with nothing but my cold sweat and regret to keep me company.

I had thought that to forget about Roza and to forget about all the things that I had done to her, I had to stay away from her. When she disappeared I thought that she had made that job easy for me. I was wrong. Every day, everywhere I went, I saw Roza. She was always dancing on the edge of my mind, When I wasn't thinking about what had happened to her, I was seeing her spirit, flitting around Court, or her face in others, I was smelling her gorgeous perfume wafting around me, I was hearing her laugh, teasing me, from all around. I suppose this was my true punishment for all that I have done.

BEEP BEEP BEEP.

I slapped the off button on my alarm and sighed before dragging myself out of bed. My routine for the past few years had been the same for nearly every day: wake up, go to work, then return to my room for another night of restless sleep in my cold bed. Though today there was some variety, all Guardians had an important meeting to attend; apparently the Moroi had finally determined what to do with our rapidly dilapidating numbers. Though why we were letting a selected few who had never experienced any real battle control the fate of the entire Dhampir race was beyond me.

Moroi society was part of what had taken away my Roza from me. Their judgments, prejudices, and rules never gave our relationship a chance of working out and their holier-than-thou attitude was something they held over us Dhampir every day.

I suppose I have grown a tad bitter over the years.

After my customary morning jog and strength workout at the gym, I headed back to my room to shower and change before heading to the meeting.

When I arrived to the chambers where the meeting was being held, I was surprised to see the Queen herself standing at the front of the room next the Hans, who appeared shocked and apprehensive at the same time. The Queen never usually attended these meetings, she would usually pass off her plans to one of her advisors, who would them deliver the message to Hans, who would then deliver it to us.

There was a general hush in the chambers, as Guardians stood nervously to hear our fate, though you could never see it on our faces. The small faction of rebel Guardians stood together, their faces drawn taut at the sight of the Queen.

A few rows in front of me, I spotted auburn hair, a sign of one of the few people I dreaded seeing around Court: Janine Hathaway. She and Rose may not share the same eye or hair color, but their eye shape and bone structure were similar, making it hard to look at her without reminders of Rose and the past flooding my brain. She and Ibrahim Mazur had exhausted their resources trying to look for their missing daughter. They never gave up hope that she was still out there, though rumors at Court suggested otherwise, as some believed that it had been too long since Rose had been heard from to still be alive.

Those were the rumors I refused to believe.

My thoughts were interrupted as the chamber doors shut and the Queen began the show.

"Welcome, all Guardians. I wanted to personally thank you all for our excellent work through these times of hardship. We of the Moroi Council are aware of the growing crisis and its ramifications if we do not act soon. We are, and always will be grateful for the extraordinary service Dhampirs have provided in the past, present, and future."

A few snorts ran throughout the room at that statement, mostly from the rebel faction.

The Queen went on, ignoring the little reactions from us Guardians.

"However, we all need help at times, and we are currently in one of those times. The Strigoi have unfortunately devised new strategies and methods of attack on our people. I am aware of how hard the Guardians have been working to keep not only the threat at bay, but to keep the Moroi calm and safe so that as a society, we do not crumble and fall to paranoia and fear, and for that, you have my eternal gratitude," Tatiana said, looking around the room as if she expected us to start falling to our knees to show our gratitude and loyalty to her. All she received were blank faces. However, she went on. "And to show my faith in the Guardians' capability to serve us faithfully, and to the best of their abilities," she paused, glancing at the rebel group, "I have decided to start a new program. This programs will be similar to a study abroad program. You will all be sent to an institution to learn new skills and training-"

"Are she saying that our current skill set is crap?!"

"What the hell did I spend eighteen years of my life preparing for?"

"I am not going back to any Academy! I hated the experience enough the first time."

"Where the hell is she sending us?"

"I bet it's a trap. She's sending us to slaughter!"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Hans' voice boomed out, immediately quieting the outbursts from the crowd. Quite frankly, I could not blame them. Did the Queen really have no faith in our abilities that she wanted to send us off to be re-educated? And what institution would she send us to? The Guardian training techniques were rarely ever changed, where would we learn these "new skills," as the Queen had put it?

Hans nodded at Tatiana, a silent apology, though he was just as surprised as the rest of us. Up ahead I saw Janine Hathaway shoot the Queen a fleeting look of death, a look that was soon replaced by her Guardian mask.

"This is not to insult the years of hard work and dedication that you all have put into your Guardian training, please understand that. However, the arrangements have been made for this program already, so we will be proceeding with this new cause. Now, I know you all are wondering where this new training will take place, for that, I will turn it over to my great nephew." Tatiana declared, sweeping aside allowing Adrian Ivashkov to part through her advisors and saunter to the front.

"Oh God."

"This is all they could come up with? The crazy drunk has a plan?"

"Moroi Court as gone to hell."

Adrian Ivashkov cleared his throat, cutting off any more snide remarks. The man had indeed gotten odder as the years had gone by. He had embarked, with Guardian Castile and an Alchemist girl, on a trip to find Rose, as per the request of Abe Mazur. They had come back just as empty handed as I had, though they did not seem to be bothered by that fact as everyone else. He was one of the last people to see Roza before she left, a fact he enjoyed to hold over me. At times I would catch him smiling smugly, almost maniacally, at me before Edison would drag him away. He and Edison would also disappear for periods time, never saying where they were going even if they were gone for days at a time. One Guardian swore he saw the two of them walking out of a wall, and claimed Ivashkov had honed his Spirit to expand to a new, dangerous level, though everyone else believed that Guardian Miller should simply not be put on the night shift anymore.

"Friends, Guardians, and more Guardians, lend me your ears!" Ivashkov started as the entire crowd did a simultaneous eye roll, "I have here a letter, sent to me by the institutions that have agreed to our little experiment at Court. Allow me to read it," Ivashkov once again cleared his throat and their started the actual reading part.

_"To Queen Tatiana Ivashkov, the Moroi Council, and the Guardians,_

_We have heard of your situation, and would like to extend our deepest condolences and considerations to the Dhampir and Guardian community. We are aware of how dramatically the Strigoi population has gotten worse over time due to improper planning and leadership on the part of many. We believe that your situation may be greatly remedied through some assistance. Though we can simply send some of our people to assist and bolster the Guardian numbers and morale, we believe in the teachings of the great philosopher, Lao Tzu. It was he who said, ""If you give a man a fish you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish you feed him for a lifetime."_

_It is through this wise advice that we extend an invitation to all of your Guardians. As an Agent of ours has informed us, the Guardian training of yours is on a completely different level than ours. If they decide to come and train at our facilities, they would not only relearn basic combat, but they would perfect it as well. They would also go beyond the combat that they have been accustomed to, to include some weapons training as well. These classes will be taught by professionals, the best in their craft, as the Guardians deserve to learn from the best. Room and boarding would also be provided. The only thing the Guardians would need to bring is a bag of clothing. This would not only be a wonderful opportunity for the Guardians and the Moroi, but for everyone involved, as we would be forging a new connection between all parties involved and perhaps even see some familiar faces._

_If you would like to accept our offer, please be ready in one week. Please report to St. Vladimir's Academy by March 29, where further instructions will be given._

_Thank You and Best Regards,_

_The Elite Council and The Guardians of Caelum"_

* * *

**Here we go guys! The ball is really starting to roll now, and I PROMISE that the next chapter will be more entertaining than the past few ones have been. Alot more action will be coming, and some reunions as well! That will be fun indeed...**

**I will try to update mid week as I have some time off this week, but do not hold me to that, as the next chapter is going to be a long one!**

**Until next time, I shall leave you with another random question:**

**Does soap get dirty?**

**Looking forward to your reviews!**


	6. Maim, Not Kill

**Well, even I didn't expect an update this early, but I do have a week off from school. Now, this chapter was meant to be longer, but I decided to cut it in half so you guys could get an update faster. Hope you enjoy it!**

**Special shoutout to Rose-Hathaway-Belikova, she had some great predictions that may or may not come true…**

**Also, shoutouts to Dream Craziness, claire3loves3music, and DrunkenSage for answering the random question…I truly feel like that question is one of the mysteries of the universe!**

**And last but not least, a special virtual hug and cookie for all who have reviewed so far! I love reading them and please keep them coming! Now…on with the story!**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Eddie Castile**

_**One Week Later**_

I waited at the airstrip with the rest of the Guardians for the planes to finish fueling up. Today we would be leaving Court for St. Vladimir's Academy. Was I excited to go back to high school? Hell no. However, I was excited for what would come out of our trip to St. Vlad's. After Adrian and Sydney had contacted Rose looking for help, Rose responded that she would talk with her bosses and see what would happen. What the Elite and Guardians had come up with was better than I had imagined. I love visiting Rose and Christian and the rest of the gang in Caelum. I don't know, there was just something special about the city in the other realm; it was just so much more open and welcoming than Court. The Elite and Guardians there had combat training and weapons training that made us look like we were still stuck in the Stone Age, which I guess we were, and I was chomping at the bit to get first-hand experience with the Elite and Guardians of Caelum. The other Guardians had been skeptical of the plan that had been made; some because they didn't see why we needed more training, some didn't trust the Moroi to be competent enough to come up with a plan to help us, but they had signed up in droves anyway simply because they wanted to get the hell out of Court.

Suddenly Adrian appeared next to me, toting along his bags. Of course he was not going to participate in the training, but he was coming along with us to "chaperone" and "watch his amazing plan come to fruition," which basically was a cover up for the fact that he wanted a vacation in a place where he and Sydney could freely display their relationship.

"Excited?" He muttered as he surveyed the huge crowd of Guardians milling about while we waited.

"Hell yes," I replied, "I needed a break from this hellhole. No offense." I added as an after-thought.

He waved off my apology. "So, you know if he…"

"Yup. He's coming toward the airstrip right now." I responded, nodding toward the tall figure a few yards away from us.

Dimitri Belikov stood rigidly by one of the planes, as usual not speaking to anyone, with his Guardian mask firmly in place as he scanned the place over. When is eyes passed over us, Adrian shot him a friendly wave and smile though Belikov simply stared back, part questioning and part annoyed, before his face became blank again.

Adrian chuckled, ceasing his waving. "That poor bastard's about to be in for a huge surprise."

I chuckled, thinking of Rose. "The biggest one of his life."

* * *

**Rose Mazur**

I double checked and tripled checked the plan over, scrutinizing each detail carefully. The meeting room was slowing filling up with the teams I had handpicked to go today.

"Hey Rose!"

"What's up Rose!"

"How was your break?"

I smiled back at my colleagues and chatted with them, enjoying the loose, free atmosphere of the Elite. Sure, when we were out on missions, out on the job, we were the most badass around, but when we were simply hanging out at HQ, we could simply be chill, act our ages. I continued to listen to everyone's vacations until I spotted Ben entering the room.

I smirked and he smirked as he made his way toward me at the front of the room. He leaned against the wall next to me, and the two of us had our customary stare down, or as the students here called it when they thought we weren't listening, the signature Mazur and Noble eye porn. Yep, Ben and I could add that to our list of talents. Eventually, though, one of us would break the silence, and today, because I needed to get the meeting underway, I caved first.

"Did you miss my loud American self?" I teased.

Ben chuckled, his grey eyes filling with mirth, "Love, I missed you so much that I went to the American consulate and loitered around, just praying to the Angel that one of the security guards would come out and yell at me in that loud, obnoxious American accent I adore so much. And thank the Angel they eventually did! I was on the verge of going through withdrawals!"

I snorted before reaching up and pinching his cheek, "My poor baby! Withdrawals are not fun! I almost broke down not having an English accent to tease me day in and day out. I had to keep one of the BBC channels on constantly, lest I have a complete emotional break!"

Ben tutted, slipping an arm around my shoulders while I rested my head on his shoulder, our customary position, "My poor darling, it's all going to be ok now. I'm back, and I aim to tease…and please." He added with a wink before the two of us busted out into laughter over how ridiculous we can become sometimes.

"Ok, go sit your English ass down, I got a meeting to start." I choked out between laughter, pushing him away, toward his seat with the rest of the team.

Sticking two fingers in my mouth, I let out a loud whistle, garnering the attention of all in the room. "Ok guys, here's the low down on what's going on, I gotta make this fast 'cause we have a portal to catch in fifteen mintues…"

_**One Week Earlier**_

"…_and as much as I consider myself an Elite Agent, the Guardians were a huge part of my life and I cannot turn my back on them, we cannot." I finished, looking at the fifteen people before me. Some of them had thoughtful, pensive looks, others were more positive._

"_We have always admired your loyalty, Agent Mazur," Heidi Matthews, one of my bosses, said, smiling at me._

"_Not every one would volunteer to help the very people who have wronged them," noted David Reid, yet another one of my bosses, and Heidi's partner._

"_They didn't wrong me," I replied, "well, not all of them at least."_

_The Council smiled at that, which was a good sign they were going to at least think about my request. I knew this was weird, an Agent asking her bosses to do something that we technically had no connection to, but the Moroi and Guardians at Court did need help, and the Elite never refused help to anyone who needed it. Plus, some of the Council and other Agents had personal ties to the Moroi and Guardians, even though they too had left that world like I had, they would not let that world crumble._

"_Well, Agent Mazur, you are not the first to come to us about this. Several others have come to us with similar pleas to help the Guardians." Peter Savalti, another Council member and yes, yet another one of my bosses said to me._

"_The Guardians here have come up with a tentative plan to assist their counterparts; I don't see why we can't offer our assistance was well." Gabriela Courcos said thoughfully, her fellow Council members nodding along._

_Ok, so the Guardians here have already made plans to assist the other Guadians, and the Elite are willing to offer help. We barely have any ties to the other Guardians but we already know how to start to remedy their situation while the Royal Moroi Council sat around on their asses arguing about the fate of Moroi. Personally, I feel like that shows the vast differences in leadership between here and there._

"_We'll of course offer our services to the Guardians, and they would be fools to turn it down. We'll go ahead and make the proper arrangements, though, Agent Mazur, we would like two simple favors from you," said Heidi, turning to look at me expectantly._

"_Yes?" _

"_One, you have contacts at Court yes? Would you mind helping us send a message to Court before you leave for your vacation? Yes? Perfect." Agent Reid added as he saw my nod, accepting the request._

"_And two, when we begin the program we would like for you to be the team leader for the first phase of the plan." Agent Courcos said with a slight smirk, meaning she knew I would enjoy being team leader for the first part._

"_Of course," I nodded again, actually getting excited. _

"_Excellent, we will contact you when we need the message delivered and when the plans have been put down on paper. However, for now, Agent Mazur, go enjoy your vacation. You're lucky; Scotland is beautiful this time of year." Agent Matthews smiled at me, the other Council member following suit._

"_Thank you," I said gratefully before walking out of their chambers._

"Okay guys," I call out as I saw the last few people on the team come through the portal, "remember the plan!"

I grinned up at the great walls of St. Vladimir's Academy before turning to Ben. He nodded before grabbing my hand, the two of us squeezing before letting go, our little custom.

"The goal is to maybe maim a little! Not kill!"

* * *

**Dimitri Belikov**

After the four hour long rise and the hour long drive from the airport, we had finally made it to St. Vladimir's Academy. Headmistress Kirova and Alberta had greeted us and shown us our rooms before assigning us rooms for duty.

"Seriously, this is our training? Guarding classes?"

"I knew this was a joke."

"This is what we get for going along with their stupid plans."

My fellow Guardians grumbled as we went off to our assigned rooms. My first class was Bodyguard Theory, of course taught by Rose's favorite teach, Stan Alto. Not much had changed through the years, the students were still looking rather bored, and Alto rambled on, his lectures taken directly from the textbook. I could see why Roza would frequently fall asleep or goof off with Castile in this class.

We took our places along the walls of the classroom, alert but hidden. What puzzled me though, was why three of us had been assigned to this room. When Guardian Miller, Guardian Hathaway Guardian Castile, and I had arrived to the classroom, there were already four Guardians there, all already in Guardian mode, settled next to the windows of the classroom. Why would one classroom need eight Guardians?

I brushed off the thought, Strigoi numbers were rising, of course they would want more protection for the students in our time of near crisis.

The class was rather uneventful, with the students trying not to fall asleep and Guardian Alto droning on. Mercifully though, class was almost over, and Alto was winding down his lecture.

"…as a Guardian you cannot be afraid. You cannot allow the fear to get to you, to shut you down. As a Guardian, your fears are second to the life of your Moroi. Any questions?" Alto asked as he finished.

"Yes? In the back," he squinted, trying to see the person to who the hand belonged to.

"Are you afraid Guardian Alto?" The person asked rather quietly, causing the rest of us to strain to hear her.

"Well we all have our fears; it is a part of us, so yes. Of course I have fears," said Alto.

"Are you afraid of the big bad wolf?" The person asked again. That voice…I would know that voice anywhere…but it couldn't be, why on Earth would she be here?

"I'm sorry, wha- Oh no.." Alto trailed off, apparently coming to some sort of realization. The students in the class suddenly appear to wake up, excited whispers running amongst the class.

"She's here, she's really here!"

"Does that mean they're here too?"

"Oh my God! Rose Mazur!"

The last student's comment rang loudly in my ears. I felt as if the shock that was coursing through my body was weakening me and strengthening me simultaneously. My world started and stopped simultaneously, it was as if the world, my world at least, had been knocked off its axis and then set back, but correctly this time. My mind shut down and then started up again, but now…now I felt alive. For the first time in years I feel alive, like life had meaning again. Roza. Roza was here! My heart started beating faster and my eyes became manic trying to find her amongst the class.

"I said," the voice rang out again, but this time clearer and stronger; and you could clearly hear the beautiful teasing lilt. I was starting to believe I would never hear that teasing tone ever again, but then Roza, my glorious Roza stood up in her seat with a great smirk and said, "are you afraid of the big bad wolf?"

I didn't even have time to comprehend the odd question before Alto cursed, loudly.

"Ah shit." Stan groaned, right before the Guardians stationed by the windows flung them open, and several large balls of growling fur, wolves, the size of horses jumped into the room.

* * *

**See you all next time! **


	7. Reunited and It Hurts So Much

**Reviews are really good incentives to write. :)**

**I just want to say I'm not really in love with this chapter. I don't think I quite got Dimitri's voice right and I don't really think the fight scenes are anything special. *shrugs* But I wanted to get something up for you guys a little early, so, please bear with me on this chapter. **

**Also, in response to a Guest's review: The main plot of the story is pretty simple, I think, it's just the details that are kinda hard to follow, and I understand. So, Rose left after "Love fades, Mine Has." She and Christian are sent by Alberta to Caelum, the capital city of Lux, an alternate dimension. Fast forward five years, Rose is kicking ass at her job at the Elite, which is basically like being a Guardian, but with more options on what to do. So things are going great for Rose, not so great with the Moroi world. Strigoi are rising and Dhampir are falling. Sydney calls Rose and Rose goes to plead with her bosses to lend some assistance to the Guardians, and they agree. So now worlds of the Guardians/Moroi are going to collide with the world of Lux, and things are going to go down.**

**I hope that clarified the plotline. If it doesn't just tell me and I'll try to answer any questions you have in the next chapter! Now, on with the story!**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Dimitri Belikov**

Chaos ensued as students shrieked excitedly while Alto was furiously barking for backup into his earpiece. Through the earpiece we heard Alberta yelling our commands. "We have intruders on campus. They seem to be after a group of visiting Moroi we have visiting the campus. We need all Guardians on deck!" I pulled out my stake and saw Guardian Hathaway and Guardian Miller do the same before we collectively realized the stakes would be futile against the wolves. The wolves however ignored us completely as they leaped up the stairs and over us and into the hallway. Too late, I realized the Guardians by the windows were not actually Guardians of the school, and that Roza was gone as well. Running into the hallway, we saw mayhem.

People, non-Guardian intruders and Guardians streamed into the hallway, some running, some beginning to fight while excited students crowded round the doorways to watch. The intruders all wore black garb that looked specially designed for fighting and a pendant with some kind of crest on it that resembled the letter E. They were also quickly overtaking the Guardians. They fighting techniques were a blend of the familiar and the foreign. They would use moves that we knew like the back of our hands, moves we studied for years. Then they would suddenly perform a maneuver that we never studied, would not even dream of attempting, and did not know was possible.

And in the middle of the chaos was Roza, furiously shouting out orders.

"Josh! You, Leigha and Nia to lead the search for our charges! Find them, check the Academy dungeons, the secret passages, the common rooms, all of it!" She shrieked as a dark haired man nodded and began yelling orders into his own earpiece.

"Jay!" Rose yelled, and out of the crowd, bounded out one of the wolves. "You guys use your senses and help the search team! The rest of us will help clear the path!" The wolf nodded, actually nodded, and let out a series of sharp barks before running down the hallway, several other wolves following.

"Everyone else," Rose yelled into the earpiece, ducking as a Guardian went sailing over her, before slamming into the wall with a great bang, "keep doing what you're doing!" She said with a smile before turning and running down the hallway.

Without hesitation, I followed. How could this happen? Why would Rose end up associating with these people?

She ran down the hallways while our Guardians fought against her people. As I ran after her, I caught sight of some of the intruders. Some resembled Dhampirs, and I would have mistaken them for Dhampirs if it weren't for the strange markings on their body and amazing strength and agility. Some looked human, but were yelling out phrases in odd languages and carried around…wands? I didn't have time to ponder that as I heard a scream from my left. Turning, I was met with a shocking sight.

The young Guardian who had screamed was holding the arm of the creature in front of her. She looked like she had put up quite a fight too, her uniform ripped and her breaths heavy and uneven. She turned pale, looking back and forth from the arm to the person in front of her, waiting patiently. I saw Castile silently making his way to the pair with his stake drawn. He attempted make the attack, but right as he was ready to stake the creature, it turned, and with a rather bored expression on his face, performed a single forearm block. Simply from the block, Castile was knocked back onto the floor.

The creature retrieved his arm from the still traumatized Guardian and held it back into place. A few seconds later, after a few sickening fusing sounds, the arm was reattached. After stretching his newly reattached arm out, he turned, with his red eyes. to Castile, tutting.

"She rips off my arm and you try to sneak attack me. How rude." He grinned before running off.

I attempted to go after the creature, stake drawn, but felt a presence coming toward me. I just had time to turn around as a hard body slammed into me, shoving me against the wall. Turning around to see my attacker, I was met with a pair of red eyes, and by reflex I shoved my stake into her heart. However, instead of crumpling to the ground, dead, the female simply laughed. She stood up, and I realized her eyes weren't red rimmed, but the complete iris was red. However, they weren't hostile; they seemed to be…amused, in fact, as she stood up, the stake still in her heart. She pulled out the stake and crushed it in her hand.

"Nice aim," the creature grinned as the hole that my stake made in her heart closed, healing itself, "maybe you guys aren't totally incompetent," she laughed then blurred down the next hallway, taking down two Guardians this time and sending them flying toward me. Janine Hathaway and a younger Guardian landed right next to me, the three of us a rather unceremonious heap. Suddenly, through the earpiece came, "They've already got to the Moroi in the common rooms, but I've got a visual on Mazur, she's heading toward the holding cells."

I sprang up, my body still aching, my head still slightly disoriented. "This is Belikov. I've got her."

And I ran.

I ran though the hallways, vaguely hearing Guardian Hathaway say through the earpiece that she was coming as backup, but my focus was getting to Rose. I ran past a few fights still going on, but overall, the intruders had pretty cleared the hallways of any threat as most of the Guardians were had gone ahead after Rose or were sprawled about the hallways, unconscious . I got to the ground level headed toward the secret underground passage way to the dungeons. Winding down the hallways, I finally got to the room that housed the trapdoor and threw open the door. Looking out the window I saw that most of the action had moved outside. A ruckus was coming from the church, with a confused looking Father Andrew standing next to it. Suddenly, the doors of the church were thrown open, and a huge mob made up of the intruders and a group of Moroi ran out. Rose was running away from the church, headed toward the cells with a man, and the two of them had quite a group of Guardians after them.

"Go! Get them to safety, you know where! Tell the others we'll join you soon. We got one more to hit!" Rose screamed at the group, a willowy young woman nodding then began leading the group to the woods.

I threw open the trap door leading to the passage way and jumped in. As I began running toward the cells, other Guardians began jumping into the passage with me and together we all hurried to the holding cells. After several twists and turns, the trapdoor to the cells could be seen. We reached the door and Guardian Hathaway kicked open the door, only to duck down as a ball of fire was sent her way.

There, in front of us, in one of the holding cells, was Christian Ozera.

He had two more fire balls in his hands, and was poised to throw them before he saw who had come through. His eyes widened as he took in Guardian Hathaway and I in front, the fireballs diminishing in size a bit, though the smirk on his face grew.

The boy was also not alone. There were more Moroi in the cells with him, at least twenty. These were the special Moroi visitors Alberta was talking about? As a Guardian you were required to know all the important Moroi, the royals. However, most of the Moroi in the cells, I had never seen or heard of.

They stared back at us, with various emotions, and various reactions. Some simply stared blankly, some smug, some angrily, and some were starting to form balls of fire, water, and air.

"Okay, I don't know most of you in here, and I have no idea what is going on here at this Academy, but if-"Guardian Hathaway's comment was cut short by the door to the cells being kicked open. Roza and the man stood in the doorway at the top of the stairs, both breathing heavily and a little roughed up, but their overall state was much better than most of the Guardians'.

"Four three." The man said to Roza with an English accent. He was average height, a little more than six feet I would say, and leanly muscled. His sharp gray eyes were piercing and observant as his gaze ran over the Moroi in the cells and our group of Guardians in the back.

Roza rolled her eyes. "Three three and we share the last one."

"Deal," the man grinned, and together, they struck.

They leaped down the stairs with amazing agility and came right toward us. Of course I knew Roza's combat skills were not lacking, but the man with her was impressive as well. There were five Guardians in total and by pure Guardian instinct we struck back. The next few minutes were a blur of punches and kicks, blocking, dodging and fighting. The two youngest Guardians were taken out easily and Roza and the man were on Guardian Miller now. I made a move to assist the man when I was thrown back into the wall and held there, but not by a person, by wind. Guardian Hathaway soon joined me. As we struggled against to get free from our invisible chains, I notice the Moroi still in the cells. Christian Ozera and a few other fire users were attempting to melt the bars, but to no avail. A couple of water users were tossing water back and forth, no, wait, it was a blade made of water, and they were trying to slice through the bars with it. That was certainly not taught at an Academy I knew. And when my eyes slid over to some Air users, I could see why I was rendered immobile. It was taking a great deal of their energy, but they were restraining us with the air, to assist Roza and the man. Speaking of Roza…

"Urrrhg," groaned Guardian Miller as he slammed into the piece of wall next to me from the impact of Roza's friend's roundhouse kick, slumping over unconscious.

Great. Just great.

Suddenly, the air restraints were gone and Guardian Hathaway and I were free. We both held our hands up, a peace gesture.

"Roza…" I started, only to dodge as her punch was directed to my shoulder.

"Don't hesitate, isn't that right Comrade?" She grinned at me, and before I could relish the sound of hearing her voice again, she struck, leaving me no choice but to strike back. It was just like our training days back, we lunged, we kicked, we deflected; expect Rose had grown and had somehow learned a few new moves that were not working in my favor I thought was I grunted, falling to the ground as Rose struck my solar plexus, and then struck several other nerves in quick succession, rendering my immobile.

Roza didn't even pause to look at me or make some kind of witty remark as she turned and assisted the man with her mother. Guardian Hathaway was putting up a fierce fight and was managing to hold her own against the man, until Roza joined. The two worked together flawlessly. They seemed to know what the other was thinking, as if they could communicate with simply their eyes. Their moves mirrored each other's perfectly, one always seeming to know the other's next move. Together the two worked together to take down Guardian Hathaway, with the man restraining her and Roza head butting her, causing her to stumble and crush to the ground unceremoniously.

With us out of the way, the two turned their attention to the Moroi. Ozera and the other fire users had not managed to burn down the cells bar, but they had made a dent in them large enough for a human to go through. However, Roza had different ideas.

"Clear a path!" She yelled, then threw a small object toward the back wall. The object landed and attached to the wall and immediately started blinking a red light furiously until…

BOOM

A huge portion of the back wall was blown open and the Moroi were ushered out of the cells. Right on the other side of that wall was the perimeter of the forest. I struggled to move, though some feeling was returning to my body. I could see Guardian Hathaway coming around and the two younger Guardians had already come to, and were trying to get their bearings. Finally, sensation returned to me and I stood, stumbling a lit; just in time to witness Roza slip through the bars and run through the opening and into the forest with everyone else.

No. No, I was not letting her get away this time.

Slipping through the bars, I joined the group of Guardians following the group into the forest. I ran past other Guardians and soon was at the front of the pack. Roza and her group were ahead of me by at least a quarter of a mile, but I pushed on, refusing to let my woman slip through my fingers again. As we ran deeper into the forest I could hear Roza yell again, something that sounded like, "Go, guys, go! We're all here! Start jumping!"

Jumping?

It was then I heard the sound of running water. A waterfall.

I pushed myself to run harder, the other Guardians struggling to keep up. The sound of the water was getting closer and closer and it was getting harder to see Roza though the thick foliage. The sound of heavy footsteps drove me to run faster, and as we exited the thick foliage into less dense foliage, we could see footprints. And they were indeed leading to the waterfall. A couple yard later the foliage was cleared and I could see Roza. She and the man were bringing up the rear in the group, and up ahead I could see even more people congregated at the top of the waterfall.

"Did you not hear me?! GO! Jump!" Roza screeched, and people began jumping. The Moroi, the intruders, all of them.

"Roza!" I couldn't let her jump. What was she thinking?

She didn't look back as she ran toward the top of the waterfall, but her partner did. He turned back to her and seemed to say something, but she ignored him, and focused on getting more people to jump, not leaving anyone behind. She was only a couple yards away now…

"Roza!" I called again.

Once again she ignored me. She and the man were to only two left on the cliff now. She looked back this time when I called her, but then turned her attention back to the man next to her. My heart stopped at I watched Roza offer the man her hand. He accepted, and they shared a smile before they turned and jumped, disappearing from my view.

"No!" I roared as I finally made it to the cliff, seconds too late. I could hear my fellow Guardians huffing as they too arrived at the cliff Peering over it, I immediately noticed something strange. There were no bodies in the water, no splashing sounds, nothing. The water did not seem interrupted at all.

"Wha-?"

"Where did they go?"

"What the hell just happened?"

"Attention Guardians," Alberta's voice rang through the earpiece, "please return to the Academy and assemble in the gym for a meeting. Now."

"I did not sign up for this bullshit!"

"I just want to know what the fuck is going on!"

Guardians grumbled as they began to head back to the Academy. I was still stuck, staring at the water. What happened? How could a group of at least fifty people just disappear like that? Before I could think any more on that however, I felt a tug on my sleeve. Looking back, I found Guardian Hathaway, still holding her head and looking rather tired. She wanted to stay as much as I did, but were needed back at the Academy. With a last look at the waterfall, we headed back.

When we finally made it to St. Vladimir's gym, we found the place packed with disgruntled Guardians, all complaining loudly.

"Reunited and it hurts so much." Guardian Castile smirked at me as he saw me rubbing the area between my shoulders were Roza had struck. The man looked just as bad as the rest of us, but he was not angry or confused like the rest of us. His countenance revealed to me that he knew what had just transpired.

Guardian Petrov stood in front on a little makeshift stage, smirking. I was then I realized, taking in her appearance, that she did not partake in the event that just happened.

"What is going on here!?"

"Those were not a select group of Moroi! I did not know any of them!"

"What the fuck was that?!"

"THAT," Guardian began in a firm, loud voice, instantly quieting the crowd, "was a test."

"What the hell kind of test was that?"

"This is not funny! We are not here to amuse you!"

"We are in a crisis and you people are playing games!?"

"That was a test," Guardian Petrov reiterated, "that you all failed. Miserably."

* * *

**Well there you go! **

**Also, I need some head for the next chapter. Do you guys want the next chapter to be Rose's point of view of the fight because I can see how this chapter could be confusing? Or do you want to move on with the story and I can explain in flashback? Tell me what you think! **

**As always, please review! Until next time, XOXO**


	8. Down the Rabbit Hole

**Welcome back guys!**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Rose Hathaway**

Ben and I were met with cheers and whoops as we came through the portal and into the Council Meeting room. Elite Agents and Moroi alike laughed, the adrenaline still coursing through everyone after our little mission.

"_That's it? We just break in and kick some ass?" grinned Lev as I finished explaining the mission to everyone._

"_Basically, yes. We're testing the Guardians, we need assess them, see what they know before we can set up the classes for them." I nodded, grinning along with everyone else at the thought of kicking some Guardian ass._

_The cheers and excitement grew and soon, we were getting a bit rowdy. "Wait! Wait!" I called out, quieting the crowd a bit, "there's one more thing!"_

_That comment was met with groans all around._

"_No, no, it's not bad. It's just that to allow the Council to see what we are dealing with, we will all be fitted with cameras," I said while showing everyone the dime sized camera we would attach to our shirts. "And, one last thing, to make sure that we actually do what we need to do and not fuck around …they gave them some of our charges…" I said, clicking on the screen behind me, where we were met with the faces of several Moroi, not actually under any distress, in fact, they were actually smiling and waving at the small hand held camera I presumed the Council had given them._

"_Seriously?"_

"_That's it?"_

"_Come on! Challenge us!"_

_Several of my colleagues laughed as we got up and started preparing._

"Everyone back? Everyone alright?" I called out, my question being met with affirmatives all around, the positive buzz from the mission was tangible as we all laughed and chatted. We were all pretty ok, we all made it back, and the worse injuries on our side were a few bruises. Looking around, I took inventory of the team…

Eleven witches and wizards. Check.

Fifteen werewolves. Check.

Nine Dhampirs. Check.

Twelve Nephilim. Check.

Twenty two Vampires. Check.

"Well, considering that only took twenty minutes, and all of you are still conscious, I think we already have a general idea of how much training we need to give them, but we still need to watch the tapes and confer with the Guardians. Thank you all for your work today." Agent Reid smiled, the rest of the Council echoing his sentiment.

We agents started to leave, chattering among themselves, heading back to our designated assignments. Ben and I walked about of the Council room, where the rest of our team plus Christian were waiting.

"Nice job guys." I greeted, "You okay Sparky?" I grinned at Christian.

"I spent my morning in a jail cell at St. Vlad, how do you think it was? Thank god Dom had Flappy Bird on his phone," he snarked.

"Oh you poor little Moroi, stuck in a cage for one measly hour with your friends, being forced to play a stupid game. Hey, I had to head-butt my own mom. I think there's a special place in hell for people like me!" I rolled my eyes as everyone else laughed.

"Most fun I've had in a while," Dianna grinned.

"The look on their faces when the werewolves jumped in, priceless…" cackled Lev.

"I didn't realize that the Guardians never had experience with werewolves before, I would have gone with a more subtle entry." Jay grinned wolfishly.

We all cracked up at that.

There was no subtle when it came to werewolves the size of horses.

"But are you okay?" Josh asked seriously after our laughter subsided.

"_Did you not hear me?! GO! Jump!" I screeched, and I saw Josh nod before ushering people toward the edge of the cliff to jump. One by one, Moroi and Elite Agents began to hurl themselves off the cliff, and into the portal. _

"_Roza!"_

_The familiar Russian accent called out, the wonderful tenor combined with beautiful nickname I had not heard in years making my heart jump. However, this only served to drive me faster toward the cliff. Maybe it was because I was on a mission, and nothing got between me and completely a mission, maybe it was because I didn't want to turn around and properly face Dimitri Belikov after all these years, either way, I didn't look back as Ben and I ran toward the top of the waterfall. _

_Ben turned to me, "Love, you kicked his ass and then paralyzed the man, the most you can do is spare him a glance." _

"_Roza!" I heard him call out again._

_Ignoring both men, I watched Josh and Christian ahead. Both were alternating looking at me and looking at Dimitri. Christian's ice blue eyes and Josh's warm brown eyes both met mine, concern in both of them. "Jump guys! Go!" I called, and reluctantly, they both turn toward the cliff. A few seconds later, they were gone._

_Now Ben and I were the only two left on the cliff._

"_Roza!" He called out again, his voice getting closer._

_I looked back this time, catching a look at the gorgeous but frantic face I had so dearly missed…but now wasn't the time for reunions._

_I then turned my attention back to the man beside me. I smiled at bit at the familiar feeling, a good, warm, feeling. Ben and I, together and okay after yet another crazy adventure. Mazur and Noble. Noble and Mazur. Just the way it's been for the past five years. Perfect, absolutely perfect._

_Holding my hand out to Ben, I said, "Jump with me Sweetheart?"_

_His warm yet rough hand intertwined with mine as he said, "Anytime, anyplace Love. You never need to ask, been telling that for years now." Sharing a smile, we jumped, taking the plunge that would lead us back home._

I smiled at the eleven people before me, all looking at me with varying shades of concern in their eyes. Over the years my team and I had inevitably bonded, growing closer and closer, the result of which had given me not only excellent colleagues, but the awesome friends I never thought I could find again after I left Lissa.

"I'm fine guys, especially since we kicked some major ass. You all know that kicking ass always makes me feel better," I grinned.

Some of my team smiled, but the concern still lingered.

"Hey, if I saw my ex-boyfriend, whom I never really resolved things with, after five years and the first thing I was forced to do was to kick his ass, I would feel better too," Isabelle began.

"But afterward I'd wonder if beating his ass really was the best way to go about it," Jay continued.

"And if I were said ex-boyfriend, I would be kicking myself for letting a woman such as yourself go. I would try go and try to talk to her…" Denis trailed off.

"Though I would be careful…the girl may have some friends, who know how to kick ass" Josh grinned.

"Who are willing to have a little "chat" with him were he to try to pull something to try to hurt the feelings of said amazing girl…"Leigha finished.

Truly, it really did surprise and touch me how much I had opened up to them, and they in turn cared for me, my own little band of protectors. The thought made me smile.

"Guys, thank you so much for your concern, and your thinly veiled threats," I cast a look at all of them, and they had the nerve to grin back at me, "but you guys know me. I'm a big girl now, and sooner or later I gotta put on my big girl panties and face the big, scary Russian," I joked.

The team laughed, but I could see the slight hesitation in their eyes. They would be on guard around a certain Russian starting tomorrow when we would be returning and retrieving the Guardians.

"Remember," Christian suddenly piped up, "my offer always stands."

I rolled my eyes, Christian's offer to set Dimitri on fire was one he had been offering every year on my birthday. His twisted mind called it a bonus present. However, it was sweet to see Fire Boy care. If you had told me seven years ago that one day, Lissa Dragomir would be out of my life and I would consider Christian Ozera a brother, granted the annoying brother you wanted your parents to return to the hospital, but a brother none the less.

The team began to break up, all of us needing to get back to our designated assignments. Christian left to go do whatever he was doing today, shooting me one last reassuring look over his shoulder.

Ben and I began to head toward the Elite Academy campus, which was located one block away from Elite HQ. I looped my arm through his, and looked up at the man I've shared so much of myself with over the past five years, my anchor. I knew he would be able to see the nerves and slight panic they held.

"Hey, hey, hey. It's all going to be fine, ok love? We'll take it one day at a time, just like how we've been it for the past five years. And if anything goes wrong, we can kick ass or you can finally take Chris up on his little offer," he grinned as I slapped his arm, "either way, you are not doing this alone. You have me, and Chris, and the team, and everyone at the theater, and the whole bloody Elite standing with you, alright? Can I promise you the proverbial shit absolutely will not hit the fan at all when he's here? No, but I can promise you that you have a lot of people on Team Rose who will be there for you should you need it."

I smiled up at my handsome Ben as he finished his little speech. He knew me too well. Honestly, I was a terrified. In a short twenty four hours I would be thrust back into a world with Dimitri Belikov, and I wasn't sure if I would handle it. Every stolen moment, every Zen life lesson, every kiss, every touch, I've kept them all with me throughout the years, good or bad, I've remembered them all. It's the curse, or maybe blessing, depending on how you see it, of love. Ben was right, it was all going to be alright. I was going to have to train my ex-boyfriend, not step into the eight ring of hell. Besides, Ben would be there with me. As much as there was a part of that was completely freaking out right now, there was also a part that was screaming and yelling and bouncing off the walls in excitement over the prospect of showing off some of my Elite skills. I'll be alright, I'm Rose Hathaway. I expect nothing less of myself than that.

I wrapped my arms around Ben, and he wrapped his around me, and together we headed off to face the remainder of the day together.

* * *

**Dimitri Belikov**

_24 hours later_

Guardians looked around warily as we entered the Missoula International Airport and spread out as to not attract any attention to ourselves, as if expecting another "test." Quite honestly, we were all too tired, physically and mentally to put up with another one of those so soon.

_Enraged Guardians shouted up at Alberta, who held a cool smile on her face. She had just finished explaining what happened, and needless to say, we weren't really happy. Of course the fact that we had taken a beating, physically and mentally, was not helping. For one, we did not know who the Elite or the Guardians of Lux were, let alone where this Lux was, though the name and recent ass-kicking implied a degree of greatness in their respective organizations. _

"_The Elite and the Guardians of Lux have generously offered their help, you all would be fools not to accept it. The Elite sent some of their people here today to assess your skills, and one does not need to be a psychic to know their reaction to your skills," she said, critically eying the damaged state we were in. "Now, I suggest you all go get some rest, you'll need it if you're going to be training Elite and New Guardian style. Tomorrow we will be heading to Lux, bright and early. Meet back here at seven o'clock. We will head to the airport and some familiar faces will be back to escort you all," Alberta smirked before heading off out of the room. _

Up ahead, I could see Alberta conferring with Eddie and Lord Ivashkov. They were scanning a sheet of paper, another note perhaps.

"Alright everyone, meet at the elevators near the bathroom on the second floor please," Alberta's voice crackled through the earpiece.

Groups at a time, Guardians began to follow the directions, heading up the escalators to the semi secluded area where the elevators were located. I arrived at the spot, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. There were four elevators, and two of them had a sign stating they were out of order. Part of me questioned why the Elite would choose a meeting spot full of humans, part of me simply wanted to see Roza again. She haunted my dreams again last night, though this time, instead of her dying, she was running. She ran and ran and I chased and chased until we finally reached the edge of the cliff again where I would watch her take the hand of the man again and disappear from view over and over again.

As more of the Guardians made their way toward the elevators, Alberta went and stood in front of one of the broken elevators. "You remember the codes?" She asked Eddie, who nodded in the affirmative.

"Okay then, we'll need to do this in groups, first group of ten come with me, second group of ten please go with Guardian Castile in the other elevator. Everyone else, just wait until were return to get you."

She pressed the arrow buttons repetitively. Five up, five down, up, up, up, down, up, down, down, down, up, BING.

The out of order elevator opened, and I crowded into it. Inside, Alberta was already punching in another code on the elevator's buttons; 5, 6, 7, 1, 3, 5, 7, and so on. I squeezed slightly more inside to make room for the tall, pirate looking Moroi and the small red-headed Guardian who were entering the elevator, perhaps just as eager to see their daughter as I was.

At last the doors closed, and for a while nothing happened. I eyed the roof of the elevator, half expecting someone to burst through the small door up there, half hoping it would be Roza. Suddenly though, the elevator gave out a great creaking sound, and began to drop. Shrieks and yells were emitted, and the ten of us in the elevator fell in all directions, struggling to get a hold of something. Guardian Hathaway clinging tightly onto Abe Mazur while the rest of us clung on to whatever we would. Then the elevator stopped falling, and it suddenly began to feel like a high speed car ride, as it began to lurch in all different directions, turning left and right, speeding up more and more, causing us, the passengers, to sway uneasily with it.

I was seriously beginning to think the Elite and Guardians of Lux were trying to kill us when the elevator once again lurched to a stop and its doors opened to reveal perfection. Well, at least my version of it.

Roza stood in front of us, arms crossed and a slight smirk graced her flawless face. Her face full of amusement as she took in all of us. Her eyes flitted over her parents, who were still holding onto each other as they stared at their daughter in amazement, over all the disgruntled Guardians trying to gather their belongings, and finally, to me, sparing me a brief glance before she looked away again.

"Have a nice ride, guys?"

* * *

**Well there we go, actually reunited at last! I apologize for any spelling or grammar issues, it's really late as I'm typing this, but I wanted to get this out for you guys.**

**Here's a question:**

**From the brief appearances we've had from Ben, what do you guys think of him? Should Dimitri consider him a threat? I already know the answer, but I'm eager to hear your responses. **

**Next up, even more reuniting, we'll get to know Rose's team a little more, and maybe some father-daughter interaction?**

**Let me know what you guys think in a review and I will see you all next time! **


	9. The Airport: Part I

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Rose Hathaway**

I assessed the group in the elevator. There were my parents, who were holding onto each other for dear life, I was going to have to investigate that, whatever _that _was, later on. Standing awkwardly next to them was my ex-mentor, who despite having just been taking for a roller coaster elevator ride was looking only slightly ruffled. Alberta, who was the only composed one in the group, looked just as amused I was. And of course, there were the rest of the Guardians, who looked like they were either going to throw up or crap their pants, or a revolting combination of both.

The elevator next to this one pinged as well, the door opening to reveal even more nauseous Guardians, this one being headed by Eddie, who stepped out of the elevator excitedly, looking about the airport. He always did like visiting other realms.

"Where are we?" He asked.

"Galium Interdimensional Airport, four hours away from the Caelum Interdimensional Airport. It's the only airport with a large enough portal to transport all of you guys without overloading and sending us to some foreign dust land." I explained in full no-nonsense-badass Elite Agent mode as Eddie nodded along.

"Okay then, come along Guardians, get out of the elevators and follow me. We still have about one hundred and seventy more of you to transport here. Come on. " I called out to the group, turning and walking through the airport through the security checkpoint. I didn't need to check if they were following, I was basically the mother duck leading a group of lost new born ducklings into this big new scary world. Some of the regular travelers eyed the group of Guardians, but most were hurrying about to their destinations or lounging, waiting for their flights. The news over the past few weeks was full of the Elite Council members and Head Guardian Gemina Croft speaking out about the olive branch we had offered Moroi Court, their subsequent acceptance, and the training programs we were developing to train their Guardians.

Approaching the line at the security gate, this is where I was so very glad I was an Elite Agent, I finally paused, turning back to the group.

Oh good, they had kept up.

"Okay, guys, you know the drill. As your eyeballs can see, this is a security gate. Simply put your bags on the baggage scanner, and then please go through the machine. It is not a metal detector nor is it an x-ray machine or one of those machines that allows people to see your naked. Trust me, no one wants to see any of you naked. It will scan you for any dangerous materials, and all you need to do it stand still. Also, I want to reiterate please do not take any clothes off. Any questions?"

Alberta and the newbie Guardians shook their heads no. Eddie looked like he really wanted to make a crude joke after my naked comment, but his Guardian training was preventing him from doing it. Dimitri was eying me with a peculiar look on his face, though when he caught my gaze his Guardian mask slammed back on his face. And then there were my parents, different as night and day. My mother actually looked indignant; as if she was shocked she had to be taking orders from her daughter.

Or maybe she was still pissed about the whole breaking-into-St. Vlads-head-butt-thing.

Then there was my father. The Old Man, still wearing his ridiculous ensembles, today it was a black pin stripe suit with a neon yellow tie, matching pocket square and brilliant violet scarf, actually looked amused. He had that signature Mazur smirk that I had inherited, and was nodding along, his body language relaxed compared to the rigid stances of the Guardians. He never took his eyes off me either, my mom too, as if the two of them where afraid that once they looked away, I would disappear.

Quite frankly, it was starting to creep me out.

"Okay then, see you on the other side." I said, in full Elite Agent Mazur mode before turning and moving to the area next to the main line, the line for us special few, namely the Elite Agents and Guardians, our Guardians.

"Agent Mazur," the security agent nodded as I walked through the metal detector, flashing my Elite ID card, and my Elite crest pendant in full view.

"Thank you," I nodded, trying to hide my smile as I passed all the suckers waiting in the regular line. Yes, it was good to be an Elite agent.

Moving out of the security area to wait for my group, I suddenly had a coffee cup placed in my hand, full of my favorite chai tea, and a doughnut, courtesy of Josh.

"So, the big, kinda scary Russian? He's staring at you," Josh grinned, looking over my shoulder, "been staring for quite a while actually."

_Walking into my Potions and Brews I class, was much like walking into one of those cool laboratories you see in the movies, you know, the one belonging to the crazy mad scientist. Scanning the rows, we seemed to be seated in pairs, and considering I did not know most of these people, this was going to be difficult. Walking down the aisle, trying not to show that I was way out of my element here, I finally came across an empty seat with a decent looking guy occupying the one next to it._

_He had short dark brown hair, shaven close at the sides, formed into a semi faux hawk. When I cleared my throat to get his attention, he turned, revealing to me an open, friendly face._

"_Hey," he smiled cheerfully at me, showing off a set of adorable dimples. His dark brown eyes reminded me so much of Eddie, so full of joy and friendliness, with just a hint of curiosity._

"_Hi. Can I sit here?" I asked, mentioning toward the empty seat next to him._

"_Of course! Of course!" He nodded, clearing away his stuff to make room for me._

"_Thanks. I'm Rose by the way."_

"_Josh. Nice to meet you new Potions buddy," he smiled that happy smile again, and this time, I couldn't help but smile back. This guy's happiness was freaking infectious. _

"_Right back at ya. So…uh, you know anything about Potion making?" I asked, a little sheepishly._

"_Well, let's see, the last time I took Potions was Elementary Potions back in high school and the first day there I managed to brew a potion that turned my experimental frog bright yellow and go crazy, attacking my professor, when it was make him have extra spring in his hop. Yeah," he added at my surprised look, "needless to say, I was not a favorite of Professor's Kramp. Not that I really cared, the man was an incompetent ass." he snickered._

_I smiled, thinking of Stan Alto, "I had a teacher like that, once hid a small box of frogs in his desk! When he open the drawers, BAM, slimey green things everywhere," I laughed as Josh did as well._

"_Nice! This one time…"_

Josh and I would spend the rest of the time before class started recounting stories of our debauchery to one another, and then continue during lunch, where he showed me Mase's Diner, now my favorite place to go hen I just wanted some good old comfort food. Josh was truly like the little brother I never had. He reminded me so much of Eddie and a little bit of Mason; kind (everyone loves Josh), charming, caring, always looking to have fun, but knowing when to take stuff seriously. And when it was time to introduce Eddie and Josh, the two hit it off immediately, forming a cute bromance of sorts.

"He's been staring more at her bum than her actual self," Ben snorted as he walked past us, breaking me out of my reverie. He was headed in the other direction, no doubt going to collect the next group coming in.

"Shut up!" I cried, rolling my eyes and swatting his arm.

"Nothing to be ashamed of my love, it's a perfectly lovely bum you have," he called out as he began walking out of the security area.

"Thanks! I've been working on it," I called back, giving myself a little pat on the backside.

"You two and your antics," Josh laughed, "Belikov does not look pleased. Neither do your parents for that matter."

"Belikov's just mad that he gave up the right to get a piece of said sweet ass," Isabella smirked at she arrived, coming to stand next to us.

"I'd be pissed too if I were him," Lev grinned, wagging his eyebrows suggestively as he and Denis and Arthur, our very own Three Musketeers, walked past to retrieve more of the groups coming in.

When I first joined the Elite, I had learned that the Elite would never turn away anyone who was willing to dedicate themselves and work hard through their training. I thought about Denis, Lev, and Artur. I was pretty sure they were still unpromised, still just fighting Strigoi near and around Baia when they could be learning and doing so much more. After retrieving Denis' phone number and tracking them down, I told them about the Elite and Caelum, and how in the short time I had been here I could already feel that this place, this organization was different from the Guardians. They had been hesitant, as none of them as ever left Russia before, the enticing picture I gave then of the Elite, of an organization that was actually getting out there and fight, an organization that actually respected their Agents, eventually won them over. A few months after I had arrived, the boys did too, having to go through the exact same rigorous training I did.

Over the years they had kept me busy, but entertained, with their ridiculous antics. Seriously, I now knew what people with younger siblings felt like now.

"Yeah, I mean, I would forever be remembered as the idiot that destroyed his privileges to see Rose Mazur's sweet ass and-"Denis was cut off abruptly.

"Can we please stop talking about my ass?!" I cried exasperatedly, in mock annoyance, my comment unintentionally catching the attention of the crowd.

Eddie and Adrian were smirking, my mom looked scandalized, my old man actually laughed, and Dimitri…

"Oh God, big scary Russian glaring at us. That's our cue to leave." Lev muttered, the three of them scurrying off.

"Incredible," Josh observed, "the man can go from pissed off caveman to civilized Guardian in less than three seconds."

Turning a bit, I caught a glimpse of Dimitri right before he turned to retrieve his luggage. Josh was right, Dimitri was in full, calm Guardian mode, though he did retrieve his bags from the machine rather roughly.

"You all suck," I whined, though I couldn't hide the slight smirk on my face.

"But we're your suck people…?" Josh trailed off.

"That comment was so much better planned out in your head wasn't it?" Isabelle smirked.

"Yeah, a lot better," Josh nodded, the three of us laughing.

Isabelle was one of the first people I had met when I joined the Elite. While I was going through my schooling, I was given an apartment near the campus, and she was my roommate.

_I fumbled with my keys a little bit as I tried to open the door to my new apartment. To say I was shocked when I found out that I would be given an actual apartment, not a dorm, was an understatement. Still, I was incredibly grateful to the Elite for giving me this opportunity. Finally, I got the door opened, and stepped in._

_The apartment was nice and bright and clean. Taking a few steps in, I found to my immediate right, a small but modern looking kitchen. The rest of the room was taken up by the large living room with a small hallway I assumed led to the bed rooms. The walls of the living room were painted a light greyish-blue. Large windows took up a wall, letting in plenty of light and offering a gorgeous view of the city._

_Walking in further, I tentatively started to head toward the hallway, wanting to check out the bedrooms, when I heard a door opening and footsteps coming toward me. _

_Tensing, I prepared myself to fight an intruder, when a girl appeared. She had the same stance as I held, the two of us simply standing and observing each other._

_She was rather tall, though she was wearing a pair of ridiculously high boots. Without the boots, I would put her at a good three inches taller than me, probably placing her near 5'9". Her long raven black hair was pulled up into a tight bun and smokey eyeliner lined her light hazel eyes, highlighted by slender eyebrows that framed her face perfectly. Her pale skin was marred with the marks that showed she was Nephilim. She was wearing a long black maxi dress, accessorized with heaps of gold and silver jewelry paired with fabulous black leather boots and matching gloves. However, the thing that caught my eye the most was the gold whip wrapped around her arm. From the little weaponry I had seen, I knew that was the whip that could electrocute three grown men with one flick, the thing was lethal._

_And this girl was wearing it like it was some sort of accessory. _

_All in all, she looked like the perfect bitch._

_She eyed me the same way I eyed her, with some guarded caution and some criticism that made me stand up straighter. She smirked at that._

"_Isabelle," she said simply, the smirk still plastered on her face. I'm assuming that's her name._

"_Rose," I nodded._

_She nodded as well, "I'm assuming you're my new roommate," she eyed me again with that critical glaze of hers, which I was seriously getting tired of, and let out a sigh, as if she was disappointed by who had showed up at her doorstep._

_No shit, Sherlock. "Who the hell else would I be?" I countered._

_Finally, the Bitch Look dropped from her face and she laughed. It sounded like tinkling bells._

"_I think we'll get along just fine. Hey! Love those boots," she smiled, gesturing toward my old combats with cool silver buckles on them, "where'd you get them?"_

According to others in the team, Isabelle and I could have been twin sisters in a past life. We were both flirts, (though the general consensus was the Isabelle was a bigger one than I) and we were rather proud of our abilities, our looks, and we both loved the thrill of the Elite missions. And yes, we were both considered "bitchy" at times, though we personally think that is the greatest compliment of them all. Christian, that little shit, joked we could rule hell together one day.

I was brought back to the present by the sound of Isabelle's phone going off. Looking at the screen, she smirked that signature smirk again.

"Looks like I'm up. I'm just hoping I don't that a hurler in my group," she sniffed before leaving.

Soon, my group was done was security and Josh's was nearly done. Waving goodbye, I led my group over to the waiting area. We still had at least an hour before take off time.

"Okay, we're going to be here a while, so feel free to browse the shops for a while. Please meet back here within the hour for boarding. And please, don't get lost." I instructed, not really letting anyone ask anything, before heading off to wander a bit. I had nothing else to do, and the others would not be back for a while.

I had finished my Chai and was throwing it away when I felt his presence behind me. I was assuming he was a few shops down from me, so I continued walking a bit, pretending that I didn't know he was following me. Ducking into one of the Duty Frees, I hid behind one of the shelves, watching, trying to hold back laughter, as he came into the store and began looking around. He looked as if he was browsing the tax free goods, looking carefully behind every display and shelf, though the sales people were starting to eye him curiously. I mean, the guy was pretty intimidating.

Finally taking pity on him and the nervous looking sales people, I approached him just has he was pretending to observe some fancy scarf.

Tapping him on the shoulder, he turned, and for the first time in five years, we made eye contact.

* * *

**This chapter was meant to be longer, but I felt that this was a good stopping place. **

**Next chapter, we'll meet the rest of Rose's team, see who our mystery guy is, and have even more reunions. ****Also, if you left me a question in a review, it will be answered in the next chapter.**

**Happy Easter if you celebrate it; if you don't, happy weekend! See you next time!**


	10. The Airport: Part II

**Here's the next chapter guys, and as I said in the last chapter, I will be responding to some questions left for me in the reviews. Here we go!**

**Well first up, I asked you guys if you thought Ben would be a threat to Dimitri, and you guys were pretty split down the middle on that one. And yes, some of you had the correct answer. So is Ben going to be a threat? *shrugs* Where's the fun in telling you all the answer right now? *smirk***

_**Twilight407501: I think this is gonna be fun. Dimitri will prob see Ben as a threat cause rose might use him to make him jealous but there's nothing actually between them right? She still loves dimitri? Did Abe know she was there cause Sydney did? Update soon!**_

**_She still loves dimitri?_ Well, let me ask you this. Do you think Rose can ever stop loving Dimitri?**

_**Did Abe know she was there cause Sydney did?**_** No, remember that the only people who knew where Rose and Christian went were Eddie, Adrian, Sydney, and Alberta. Abe is coming along to Caelum because he wants to see his daughter, and well…when Abe Mazur wants to do something, you DO NOT say that he can't do it. LOL**

_**RoseLissaBelikova: Also, will we see what Lissa has been up to in the past five years? I know she was mentioned, but I was just wondering if she'll come along/see Rose.**_

**Right now, I just want to say: Sorry to all the Lissa lovers out there. I personally am not her biggest fan, I don't know, she just never really grew on me and she just irks me. I don't like how she treats Rose and Christian and Jill, especially in the last four books (Really wanted to kill her in Spirit Bound). Also, I feel like she's so disconnected with how the real world works; how tough everything was for Rose when Dimitri was turned, how Christian was feeling all though out Blood Promise and Spirit Bound, the fact that it is not Jill's fault Eric couldn't keep it in his pants, and I just feel like she is just a crappy friend and girlfriend. Once again, I'm sorry if you love Lissa, but she will not be a huge part of this story. She might show up later, but just for a brief cameo. Also, if you are wondering about the bond…go reread the end of chapter four.**

_**Where is Tasha – did she call off killing the Queen?**_

**Well Tatiana was shown in earlier chapters, so yes, she did call off killing the Queen. Why? Well that will be revealed later. And I also am not Tasha's biggest fan, but she will be showing up briefly later on. I can tell you not to worry, she will not be a threat to anyone or anything. I honestly thought about having Tasha get caught after killing the Queen…but I just couldn't do that to Christian! SO, I came up with something else.**

**Now to a general question…**

**Yes, Isabelle is Isabelle Lightwood from the Mortal Instruments series, and I freaking love her.**

**Okay, now let's get on with the chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. Isabelle belongs to Cassandra Clare. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Dimitri Belikov**

During the fight at St. Vladimir's the action had occurred so fast that I had not really gotten a good look at Rose.

I sure did have a clear look now.

My memories did not do her justice, only remembering the young girl, and not taking into account the woman she would inevitably grow into. And, my God, my Roza had grown up.

Her skin skill looked as soft as ever, even though I could see some scars that had not been there before, but those just showed off Roza's bravery. And her hair was still long and shiny and beautiful, in fact it had gotten even longer, falling down to the small of her back.

She had slimmed down, losing the baby fat, and replacing it with lean muscle, but still retaining the amazing curves I could still recall running my hands over so clearly. Her perfect hourglass figure had become more prominent, and the tight jeans she wore allowed me to admire her lean legs, which led to her nicely rounded…

"Ahem," I was brought out of my thoughts of Roza and back into reality, where a rather angry looking Abe Mazur had apparently noticed my observations of his daughter.

Averting my eyes from Roza, I focused more on getting my bags onto the baggage check machine.

Still, Mazur's dirty look continued until Guardian Hathaway notice and forced him to stop.

"Shut up!" I heard Rose cry, and a few seconds later…

"Nothing to be ashamed of my love, it's a perfectly lovely bum you have," that damned English accent said.

What?

"Thanks! I've been working on it," I turned just in time to see Rose give the man a wink before slapping herself on the backside.

The two of them laughed, along with another young man who was standing next to Roza. The English man left the area then, and soon Roza was joined by three more men and the young woman whom I had seen at St. Vladimir's that other day. The little group chatted before I heard Roza cry out.

"Can we please stop talking about my ass?!"

The majority of the Guardians in line turned to the source of the comment, some of them starting to run their undeserving eyes over Roza. In front of me, Abe Mazur laughed before a scandalized Janine Hathaway elbowed him. Behind me, Guardian Castile and Ivashkov smirked whether at Roza's comment or my reaction I didn't know.

"Down kitty," Ivashkov laughed.

Apparently, I had been glaring and growled without actually realizing it. A few Guardians turned and looked at me, causing me to compose myself. After going through the scanner, I grabbed my bags from the security agent and exited the area.

By this time, the first group was done with security, and Roza was leading us away to the waiting areas.

"Okay, we're going to be here a while, so feel free to browse the shops for a while. Please meet back here within the hour for boarding. And please, don't get lost." She instructed, not really letting anyone ask anything, before heading off herself.

This was my chance to finally talk to her.

Setting down my bags, I made a move to follow her, when I was stopped.

"Belikov!" Ivashkov grinned as he and Castile came to either side of me and sat down, taking me with them.

"How are you doing?"

"I'm sure this is all a big shock to you."

"But everything will be okay."

"I know you feel quite…"

Ivashkov's and Castile's voices faded as the young man standing next to Rose entered with his group, but that wasn't what caught my attention.

It was that Englishman coming in with his group that did.

Castile noticed this and grinned.

"Ah, yes. Ben Noble." So that was his name.

"Kickass Elite Agent, Rose's friend, her partner, all around good guy," Ivashkov nodded.

"Isn't he dreamy?" Castile and Ivashkov smirked.

As much as I wanted to go find Roza, my curiosity got the best of me.

"Tell me about him."

* * *

**Rose Mazur**

"Hello Old Man."

"Little Girl."

"Are you going to buy that?"

"What?"

"The scarf. You've been holding it for a while now," I nodded toward the flashy turquoise scarf in his hand.

"Oh, well, yes. I guess I will buy it." He nodded toward the sales assistant, and one hurried forward to wrap it up.

After the old man bought the scarf, I offered to buy us some coffee.

"I thought you didn't like coffee," he asked, raising an eyebrow, as we waited for our drinks.

"You can never get enough caffeine Old Man," I countered, "so, how have you been?"

There was a beat of silence before Abe sighed.

"What are we doing, kiz?"

"We're chatting Old Man. Having a conversation? You know, that thing where two people talk and exchange pleasantries? Catching up?"

"Bullshit."

I raised an eyebrow, well at least I think I did. Ben had tried to teach me once but after a couple of hours of coaching and threats of duct tape, I had only managed to life my brow a few millimeters, which according to Ben, was "good enough."

"Language, father dearest." I smirked.

"Rosemarie," he growled, giving me that look parents can only give. Huh, twenty-three years old and I'm now just getting that look from my father.

"Sorry," I muttered, taking a sip from my drink.

There were a few more beats of silence before Abe spoke again.

"I've missed you so much Kiz, your mother and I both."

Looking up from my drink, I saw nothing but truth in my father's eyes. I saw the sadness, the anger, the disbelief, the relief, the haggardness. Eddie had told me about my parents. How they were frantic in their search for me. How Abe had exhausted every resource and connection he had in hopes to find me, and how my mom had called every academy she knew of, just hoping that I was there. They worried and freaked out, just like any parents would if their kid up and ran. It showed in their appearance too. Abe, though still wearing his flashy outfits, looked exhausted. They were dark circles under his eyes, and there was just a touch of grey coming into his signature Mazur hair. Mom was much the same. She was still the esteemed Guardian Hathaway, but she too had the dark circles, and she had looked rather frazzled as well, her auburn hair slightly more messy and her Guardian uniform slightly wrinkled from what I saw a few minutes earlier.

It touched me so much that my parents were looking so hard for me, how concerned they were. My one regret would be not being able to say goodbye to my parents when I left, to tell them that I love them, to let them know that I would be ok so they wouldn't have worried so much, and that I know that they loved me as well. I was a coward, I knew how much of a hard time they were having, but I just could not bring myself to call or visit. Every Christmas, every Mother's Day and Father's Day, every one of their birthdays, I had gone out and gotten them a gift. However, I would never actually hand it to them, instead placing the gifts on their doorstep, or giving it to Eddie to give to my parents.

Swallowing the lump that had arisen in my throat, "I've missed you and mom too."

"Then why did you never call? Send a note? A letter? Anything to let us know you were alive and not lying dead in a ditch somewhere?!

I gripped my drink a little tighter. Well, it was nice to have your parents have so much faith in your abilities.

"I gave you guys gifts…"

"A few gifts during a few special occasions. You really think that was enough to relive our fears? We couldn't even be sure they were from you!

Looking down at my caramel latte, I said nonchalantly, "I've been busy."

"Busy?" Came the disbelieving response.

"Yes."

"Busy?" His eyes flashed dangerously and his voice had a hard edge to it.

"Yes Old Man, busy. You know, that thing where you have a lot of shit going on?" I replied brightly, which was a bad move considering the way the Old Man narrowed his eyes at me. I think I saw the vein in his forehead become more pronounced.

"Little Girl," he growled, "my blood pressure..."

"Sorry, sorry." I muttered again. "I've been…I've been..."

How does one describe the life changing, and I do mean that quite literally, experience that I've gone through these past five years?

"Living. I've been living, Old Man." I finally answered, smiling serenely at Abe, who seemed surprised with my answer.

"Living? What do you mean-" he was cut off by an awkward throat clearing behind me.

Both of us turning around, we found Ben, standing there rather endearingly awkwardly.

"Sorry to interrupt, but it's Guardian Hathaway…"

* * *

"YOU IDIOTS! YOU TRAITORS! YOU TWO KNEW WHERE SHE WAS THE ENTIRE TIME, YOU SAW HOW HARD IT WAS FOR ALL OF US AND HOW HARD WE SEARCHED FOR HER, AND YOU KNEW WHERE SHE WAS THE ENTIRE TIME?! I SHOULD HAVE YOU TWO SKINNED AND -"

"Mom!"

"Janine!"

Abe and I cried at the same time, not amused.

Mom turned back to look at us, her face almost as red and fiery as her hair, from where she held Adrian and Eddie, both wide-eyed and looking rather abashed and terrified, against the wall by the collar of their shirts. Around them, travelers, Guardians, and Agents looked on, some amused, some concerned.

"Let them go mom." I said firmly, crossing my arms.

She simply stared at me, looking like she was about to yell at me as well, when Abe intervened.

"Janine, please. Threats aren't really your forte, don't you think? Leave them to me. Let the boys go, come on now. Janine, let them go." Abe reiterated, his eyes narrowing, almost challenging mom.

She glared back, and for a few seconds that's all they did, just challenging each other. Our little section of the airport dead silent as we all watched. Finally, mom let go of the boys, and Abe come forward and led her away from the area, his hand placed comfortably at the small of her back as they whispered back and forth.

Ewww. That is all I have to say about that.

"You guys ok?" I asked Eddie and Adrian and they slowly detached themselves from the wall and straightened out their shirts.

"Fine Little Dhampir, just fine." Adrian replied, popping his collar, though his voice was slightly shaky.

"Yeah, it's all good." Eddie sniffed, rolling his shoulders.

I rolled my eyes. Men.

"There's a bar a few stores down that way," I pointed out.

"Oh thank God," Adrian muttered, practically bolting toward bar.

"I should go with him…you know…to monitor his drinking…yeah…" Eddie mumbled, taking after his charge

"So, that was my mom and dad…" I said brightly, turning to my team, who had all arrived and had congregated in a section of the seating area.

"They seem…nice," Josh nodded.

"Not scary at all," Lev muttered before taking a swig of his own drink.

"I pity the poor man who comes asking for your hand, Rose," Jay laughed.

Jay was the former leader of our team before he stepped down due to the birth of his beautiful baby boy, Jack. Being team leader involved a lot more paperwork and planning than if you were just a regular Agent. He wanted to be a hands on father, to truly be there for Jack and his gorgeous wife, Aria, to be the complete opposite of his own parents. His father hadn't even stuck around for the pregnancy and his mother had abandoned him on a park bench when he was only a few days old. Jay had bounced around from one foster home to another before finally settling down with a nice couple when he was sixteen. And just in time too, as the Change for werewolves, the period where their werewolf abilities really developed, had just arrived for Jay. It's a rough transition period for werewolves, added on to the even more awkward adolescent period, but Jay managed, his new foster father helping him through it. He was ten years older than I was. It was slightly awkward when we first met, as to a stranger, Jay was pretty intimidating. He was rather tall, almost as broad and tall as Dimitri, with dark eyes and sharp, angular features. His hair was kept short and his strong jawline seemed to perpetually be littered with stubble. However, when he smiled, dimples the size of craters appeared, and you could see the child-like spark in his eyes. And once you got to know him, you could see his gentle, almost shy, demeanor, and his child-like playfulness.

"Your mom is so totally bad ass!" Leigha piped up cheerily.

"Seriously though, I now see where you get it from," Dianna smiled.

"Thanks, but please, do not offer to give my mother weapon's training," I smiled a bit as Dianna pouted. The girl loved her weaponry.

I had met Dianna in one of my weapons classes. We had hit it off instantly, becoming fast friends as she helped my find my "signature" weapon. Dianna, sweet Dianna who looked like she belonged in a Disney princess movie, had a penchant for axes. Yes, her signature weapon was an ax. Girl may look innocent, but she actually kicks some serious ass, with or without her ax.

Leigha I had met in mythology class. We sat right next to each other and honestly, her bubbly personality had annoyed me at first, though at the time I was still slightly bitter at well…everything. However, Leigha made it slightly better with her friendship, her amazing listening skills, and her awesome baking.

"_I don't get it. You're a witch, you could totally just use your wand to zap us up a plate of brownies instantly," I said as I sprayed Pam into a baking pan while Leigha stirred the brownie mixture. It wasn't even in the oven yet and it already smelled divine._

"_Patience is a virtue," she smirked, "plus, when I left home, I promised my mother I'd actually use my magic for good, not just for conjuring up food and retrieving stuff from across the room without getting up."_

_I finished with the pans and Leigha was soon dividing the batter evenly between them before we put them in the oven. I watched questioningly as Leigha opened her refrigerator door and pulled out a smaller bowl filled with what looked like the brownie batter she had just made._

"_What's that for?" I asked._

"_I thought we could get a head start on our chocolate-induced coma while we wait for the brownies," she smiled as she handed me a spoon, "plus, a girl CANNOT rag on her ex-boyfriend on an empty stomach, it's just unacceptable." _

_I smiled back and eagerly dug my spoon into the bowl before shoving the contents into my mouth. I think this was the start of a beautiful friendship._

Checking my phone for the time, I saw we still had fifteen minutes until boarding. Seeing Ben had sat down, I plopped down in the seat beside his, resting my head on his shoulder and yawning a bit.

"Tired, love?" He asked, looking down at me.

"Little bit," I mumbled, snuggling into his shoulder more. We had gotten up pretty early this morning in order to go over the organization process and to actually get to Galium. Plus, the small confrontation with Abe had drained me a little.

"It'll be alright," he murmured, his soft accent cooing, like music to my ears.

Opening one eye, I looked up at my partner. He seriously was handsome, with his lean build, and his pale, rune marked skin. His grey eyes were gentle and slightly amused as he looked down at me.

"What?" he asked.

"You need a haircut," I grinned, reaching up and brushing the lock that fell into his eyes back slightly. Ben didn't have the purposefully messy haircut that most guys did. His hair was kept neat and short at the sides, but he had let the rest grow out, sort of like a faux hawk, but instead of spiking his hair up, he let it flop down adorably onto his forehead. Okay, to me it was adorable, to some, it was totally, and completely bad ass.

"Is that an order?" Ben grinned, raising an eyebrow while playfully pinching my hip.

I squealed slightly, pushing him gently back, "You bet your sweet ass it is," I joked.

"I'll get right on it," he winked.

"You wanna know what else you can get on?" I asked coyly, throwing in an exaggerated wink and eyebrow wiggle.

His chest shook with suppressed laughter, as we fought to contain our laughter. Ben opened his mouth to send back some witty retort, when he was sadly cut off by one of the plane inspectors appearing, informing us that the plane inspection was over and that tank had just finished being filled up, which meant we could go on board and start preparing.

"Okay guys," I called out to my team as Ben helped me up, "let's go."

* * *

**First off, let me just apologize for a couple of things. Number one, sorry I didn't update last week! I really wanted to, but I ended up going out to a party with friends and I got home rather late. Plus, I had to study for a final. Number two, sorry about this chapter. It's really just a filler chapter, but I wanted to get something up for you guys! And also, sorry for any mistakes, but it's nearly two in the morning as I'm typing this, and I will go back and fix any mistakes later on.**

**Little side note here: Because I feel like my description of Ben's hair is not epic enough, or if you just can't visualize it, I picture his hair to be like Matt Lanter's on Star Crossed.**

**Next chapter, we will board the plane and arrive in Caelum! Finally! Also we will have more of Rose spending time with her past...**

**Quick question: My original outline had put this story at about 20-25 chapters, however; now I think it will be more like 25-35 chapters. Are you guys okay with that? It's just that when I set out to do this story, I had a strict idea of how to go about it, but know, I'm just getting around to developing the concepts I have inside my head, and am just realizing that I need a few more chapters to flesh them out. I already know how this story will end, but I just need a few more chapters to get us there. Plus, I'm very detail oriented, so I like describing and trying to get the image from my head onto the screen is proving to be harder than it is...I hope you are ok with this!**

**Also, I want to thank you guys! I didn't realize it right away, but the last three chapters have gotten over TWENTY reviews! Thank you, thank you, thank you! You guys are EPIC!**

**And one last thing before I head off to bed...I have a few more questions I need to answer...**

_**Twilight407501: there's nothing actually going on between them (Ben and Rose) right?**_

_**Guest: Is rose and that guy together together?**_

_**Guest: is rose dateing that guy**_

_**RoseLissaBelikov: Something I was confused about is how "together" Rose and Ben are. They hug, hold hands, have nick-names, etc. but that's not totally conclusive of a relationship. Have they kissed? Are they, in some capacity, dating?**_

_**aj davis: So are Ben and rose together or just friends I'm confused**_

**Now, I'm getting this feeling a lot of you are wondering about the status of Ben and Rose's relationship. To which my response is…**

**I don't know. Are they? *shrugs* Well, I mean, I do know, but the fun of keeping you all in suspense would be gone if I just told you the answer now! Come on people, good things come to those who wait. Just come and enjoy the ride with me! *cue evil laughter***

**Please read and review guys! **

**Until, next time!**


	11. Welcome to Caelum

**A little mid-week surprise! ;)**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Dimitri Belikov**

My eyes followed as Roza left the waiting area and headed onto one of the planes with her team, which included Benjamin Noble.

From what I had gotten from Ivashkov and Castile was basically that the man was perfect. He was a model Elite Agent; in the top five percent in his class and had won the Elite Rookie of the Year award his first official year as an agent. He was a master swordsman, beginning to learn when he was only nine years old. His signature weapon was of course the swords, but apparently the man was equally deadly with anything that had a blade on it. Apart from his work as an Agent, the man also an actor, though it was simply a "hobby," one that he was supposedly very good at. He did a little theater, working there occasionally when he got off work at the Elite, but mostly during his breaks and vacations. As if that wasn't impressive enough, the man knew Latin. Yes, Latin. And on top of all that, not only was he Rose's partner, he was her best friend, her confidant. He was the first person she met when she left, her first new friend. He had been there for her for the past five years, he had been there to help Rose reinvent herself and grow up into a beautiful woman; he had been there when I hadn't.

My mood darkened at the thought. Five years. Who knows what could have transpired between them in those five years?

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Elite flight number E130…"

The voice of the boarding agent broke me out of my thoughts. Checking the electronic board next to me, I saw that I was on a different flight from the one being called. Looking away from the board, my gaze turned to the large windows in front of me. I could see the aircrafts from here. There where the regular commercial flights going out, and then there were the Elite jets. They were pretty hard to miss. The jets were just as large as the commercial jets, but instead of being standard white, they were painted a sleek black color with silver detailing.

Around me, Guardians began boarding their respective flights, and soon my flight was being called as well.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Elite flight number E032790, is now ready for boarding. Please line up in an orderly manner and…"

I slung my duffle bag onto my shoulder and got into my line. After giving my name to the agent, I was let into the jetway. After walking through that, I stepped onto the aircraft, where an Elite Agent kindly told me to sit anywhere.

I believed that I was currently in the Economy class, as the Agent soon disappeared up the small stairwell to the second level of the plane where I presumed First class was, but it was built like First class. There were no rows of cramped seats, but rather rows of pods, large enough to even fit my frame, and spaced out enough to allow for privacy. They were furnished with a nice sized screen and small storage area for books and the such. Stowing my bag into the overhead compartment, I got into my seat, enjoying the slight recline when I sat down. Soon, the plane began to fill up. Guardian Hathaway and Abe Mazur soon came onboard, having calmed significantly, though that faded as soon as Castile and Ivashkov came on board. And of course, Ivashkov chose to take the pod right next to mine. Great.

"Hey Belikov," the man slurred slightly as he collapsed into his quarters.

"Lord Ivashkov," I acknowledged, "have a nice time at the bar?"

"You betcha buddy!" He grinned, leaning out a little and shooting me a thumbs up.

Shaking my head, I turned back to reading the safety instruction card.

"I would ask you if you want a drink, but I think you already got a head start."

My head shot up at the teasing, melodious voice.

Roza stood in front of Ivashkov, the signature Rose Hathaway smirk on her face, arms folded across her chest.

"Of course Little Dhampir! What else would you expect?" Ivashkov retorted.

The two of them laughed, Castile joining in, and I would not help it as I felt my temper flaring a bit. I was already overwhelmed over all that was occurring, but add to the fact that Castile and Ivashkov had known where Roza was all these years? That was simply not helping matters. In fact, it simply made me want to throttle Ivashkov even more than usual. Everything Guardian Hathaway had said in the airport was completely true. It was completely unfair to all of us that those two knew where Roza and Ozara were, had even visited them on numerous occasions, and yet left the rest of us in the dark. I suppose we all underestimated the loyalty those two felt toward Roza.

"Hello Guardian Belikov."

My head snapped up to meet Roza's beautiful eyes. My breath caught in my throat as I gazed up at her, mesmerized by her sheer presence and shocked that she was actually acknowledging me.

"Roza." I breathed out.

She ignored my use of her nickname and simply smiled at me. "Would you like a drink Guardian Belikov?"

Ignoring the stab of pain that went through me at her cool demeanor, I nodded. "Just a water please."

"Of course," she nodded walked off to the next pod. A couple minutes later, Roza returned with a tray of drinks. I spotted other Agents with trays as well. Benjamin Noble was currently serving Guardian Hathaway a shot of what looked like whiskey while Abe Mazur looked on, half amused, half concerned.

"Here we go," Roza smiled down at me handing me a tall glass of water, "one water."

"Thank you," I nodded.

She nodded back and began to walk away when I made a snap decision.

Catching her arm right as she was about to escape my grasp, I pulled her into my pod, her body flush next to mine. Turning a bit to face her, I tried to control the onslaught of emotions coursing through me due to her close proximity. God, her skin still felt so soft, and she still smelled the same, that beautiful combination of mangos and jasmine, and-

"Yes Guardian Belikov? Is there a specific reason you pulled me in here?" Roza questioned, her right eyebrow actually managing to rise a bit.

"I wanted to talk to you." I replied.

"Okay," she said simply, blinking her wide eyes.

"You-you keep calling me Guardian Belikov."

"That's your title isn't it?" she argued.

"You never addressed me as such, even when you were supposed to," I argued back.

She simply shrugged.

I breathed out of my nose harshly. "Roza-"

"Rose. My name is Rose, Guardian Belikov." She interrupted me firmly, her eyes narrowing and her shoulders straightening in defiance.

"Rose," I nodded, hiding my hurt over her rejection of her former nickname, "we need to talk."

"We are talking," she said, gesturing between us.

"No! You know what I mean," I said exasperatedly, getting frustrated with her deliberate stubbornness, "we need to talk about us. About what happened."

She smiled enigmatically at me. "Funny, I wanted to talk to you about us years ago. And I do remember that encounter so clearly. Do you remember, Guardian Belikov?"

I flinched at the hard tone that developed at the end of her comment, which had done its intended purpose, as guilt stabbed me though the heart.

"Roz-Rose, please. Just let me say one thing, please." I pleaded as she began to open her mouth. "About that day, the day at the church, what I said to you? I didn't mean it…I just felt so guilty over what I did to you and I let that affect my judgment. I'm so sorry."

She blinked. "And now? Do you still feel guilty?"

"Yes, but…but I've begun to forgive myself for what I did to you, in Russia and that day in church. I was foolish to think that avoiding you would solve all of our problems. It was twisted logic, but…but I've changed Rose, or I'm beginning to change and-"

"You've changed?" Rose interrupted.

"I-yes?" I said, fearing her next response.

"Well, I've changed too, Dimitri. A lot more that you think." She laughed ruefully, her eyes glazing over a bit at some memory or thought. Before I could ask what she meant, she abruptly stood.

"I need to get back. We're about ready for take off."

I grabbed her arm once again. "But we will talk more later. This conversation isn't over." I said firmly.

She sighed, but nodded, and left my pod, my body immediately feeling colder as her presence left me. I watched as she walked over to Benjamin, the two of them sharing a look, before she looped her arm through his, dragging him toward the stairs and disappearing up to the second deck. I tried to swallow the ugly jealous feeling trying to overtake me.

"Ouch," Ivashkov smirked, no doubt witnessing our conversation and my reaction to what just transpired.

I simply ignored the man, turning to face the screen as the pilot came over the intercom system, doing the usual welcome, informing us that the anticipated flight time was to be around four hours; the usual, and soon after that, we were airborne.

The rest of the flight was rather uneventful, my time spent between reading my western that I had brought along with me and ignoring Ivashkov's attempts at socialization. We were given a little snack that was handed out by the Elite Agents, though this time Roza didn't come by my pod, instead pausing to socialize with Castile and Ivashkov briefly before heading up to the Elite deck once again. Soon after that, we were told that we were beginning our descent into the Caelum Interdimensional Airport.

Sitting up, I put my seat belt back on and looked out the window. For the past few hours all I had been able to see were clouds, but know I could actually see land and water. The water was as blue as any ocean in the dimension I knew. And in the distance I could see a city; the towering skyscrapers, a bridge, and the airport we were rapidly approaching. Before I knew it, we were on the ground again, and the pilot was back over the intercom.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived at the Caelum Interdimensional Airport in Caelum. Current time is 2:30 p.m. and the weather is a perfectly pleasant 71 degrees. We thank you for an excellent flight, and we hope you enjoy your time here.

Soon after that, the seat belt signs turned off and the plane came to a complete stop. A rush of Elite agents came pouring down from the second deck, all dressed in black and silver. Retrieving my bag from over head, I got in the line to exit and shuffled along with everyone else toward the door, where the Elite agents had congregated, and were acting like a welcoming committee as we exited the plane. I finally reached the exit, where Ben Noble was the first to greet me. In his Elite uniform, arms crossed, a slight smirk on his face, which grew when I came near, he simply said,

"Welcome to Caelum."

* * *

**Hey guys! I just wanted to get this chapter up because I'm not sure if I can update this weekend. I'll try my best to do so, but I have finals coming up and a study session Saturday. I'll try my best to update, but no guarantees. Wish me luck?**

**Anyway, hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please leave me a review, they are excellent incentives to write and are always appreciated! ;) **

**Happy Hump Day! (If it's Wednesday where you are, if not, have a nice day!)**


	12. Protectors

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Rose Hathaway**

"But we will talk more later. This conversation isn't over."

I sighed, but nodded, yanking my arm out of Dimitri's grasp before bolting out of the pod. I tried to ignore the warmth that left my body almost as soon as I left Dimitri's presence. I tried to ignore the fact that just being near him, seeing his face up close for the first time in years, his eyes penetrating mine, smelling his familiar aftershave, made my heart go crazy and my breath slightly short.

Rushing between the pods, I grabbed Ben, who was looking rather concerned at the amount of whisky my mother was throwing back, dragging him back upstairs to our deck. Seeing me in slight distress, the rest of the agents moved swiftly out of our way. Collapsing into my seat, I turned to Ben, wide eyed.

"Did that just happen?" I asked.

"What? Do you mean your ex-boyfriend confronting you, of course causing suppressed feelings to bubble up; or having your mum down four shots down in less than a minute?" Ben answered innocently, chuckling a bit.

"C'mon love, did you honestly think you could go through this entire program and not have to face Belikov eventually?" He added when he noticed my glare.

"No! I'm not stupid, I was just hoping that I could you know…hide and avoid him until the last possible second, and then we could have a brief chat before he boarded the plane and went back to Court…Not have him pull me aside and talk when we haven't even gotten back home yet!" I said, crossing my arms.

"And how would you hide from him for the six to twelve weeks it will take for us to help them?

"Easy," I grinned, straightening myself, "I would use you as my shield; my valiant guard and lookout who would shield me from the gaze and confrontation of the great big Russian."

Ben snorted, un-amused. "Love, you usually come up with the best plans, but that one sucks arse."

"Do you have any better ideas?!"

"Uh, talk to the man? And while you're at it, talk to your mum and dad as well, before your mum becomes an alcoholic, eh? Look," he continued, cutting me off as he saw that I was opening my mouth, about to protest, "I know you're scared. I know you don't want to confront your past demons, but you have to love, we all have to at some point in our lives. Face 'em head on, like you face everything else. If you can face all that shit we have to face when we head out on a mission, I think you can handle having a civil, non-violent conversation with your ex-boyfriend. Though I'm not too sure about your parents…that non-violent part may not work with your mum…"

"Rose," Artur spoke up, as he, Lev, and Denis arrived, "remember that we're here for you."

"Yeah! We know what he did to you, and we got your back, girl!" Lev butted in, his comment causing me to suppress the laugh that threatened to erupt.

"We're not going to let him get anywhere near you again unless you're okay with it," Denis added.

"What's going on here?" Josh asked, as he and the rest of the team arrived and joined out little pow-wow.

"We're discussing the Russian situation…"

"What? Why?"

"Well said situation may or may not have just ambushed Rose to get her to talk to him…"

"Guys, I'd hardly call what just happened an ambush…" I started, but was cut off.

"Oh hell no," Isabelle's eyes narrowed, she whip shining dangerously as she folded her arms across her chest, Josh nodding in agreement at her ever so eloquent sentiment.

"One does not just confront their ex, whose heart they broke years ago, in a public space! That's just not right!" Leigha huffed.

"Want me to talk to him?" Jay asked, though by "me" I knew that he actually meant his wolf side and by "talk" he actually mean corner and threaten. Trust me, you do not know terror until you see a wolf the size of a horse coming straight for you.

"I could help," Dianna added as her hand reflexively twitched toward the chakra blades in her pocket.

"Am I the only one more concerned about Guardian Hathaway's potential drinking problem?" Ben chuckled.

The withering glare I shot stopped those as Ben simply smirked. Turning my attention back to the rest of the team, I suddenly felt so overwhelmingly grateful that I had met all these awesome people, whom I loved and who loved me back. Seriously, I don't think I've ever truly, genuinely liked so many people, and considered them my friends, true friends, before. When we're on duty, we kick ass as Team Eight. We all have our roles and we perform them well, working together as we headed out into the big scary world to fight the evils I never could have dreamed existed. Off the clock through, we were all just a group of friends; chilling out, chatting over mundane things, joking around, having a huge Sunday dinner together every Sunday evening…Don't get me wrong, I sometimes miss my friends from the Academy, but looking back, most of those friendships, besides Eddie of course, were nowhere near as deep as the ones I had formed in Caelum. I mean, here were a group of people who were willing to come to my defense against a rather intimidating Russian, just to ensure that I'll be comfortable. It was moments like these that made me appreciate my friends.

"Thanks guys," I smiled.

They dispersed after making a few more encouraging comments, having to take their seats for takeoff.

"So you're going to be a mature adult about this? Take things as they happen and accept them and all that shit? Not hide behind me?" Ben asked from next to me.

"Yeah, I guess so," I rolled my eyes.

"Good, because I am not being anyone's bloody shield…especially not for a person hiding from a pissed off Russian and Scottish woman, that's just a death wish waiting to happen." he grumbled jokingly.

"Aww, but you would have loved being my protector, my look out! I pay very generously!" I wiggled my eyebrows, causing Ben to snort.

"What are the wages?"

"Uh, my eternal love and devotion?" I said in a "duh" tone.

"Psssh, I already have that," Ben rolled his eyes.

We chuckled together like a pair of nerds before lapsing into a comfortable silence. I looked out the window, and sure enough we were already airborne, on our way back home.

I rested my head back against the cushion of the seat. All the while, I tried to ignore image of those piercing, pained eyes, and the tingling skin where Dimitri had touched me. Shutting my eyes, I tried to get a few more hours of rest before my life would be turned upside down, again. Thank God I have good friends, and access to alcohol if needed.

* * *

**Okay, not much action here, but you get to see more of the gang, and it's still an update! Hope you liked the little glimpse into Rose's head and meeting her group of friends! Originally this chapter was meant to be longer, but I decided to split it up to get the chapter ensure an update. Now, next chapter, I PROMISE, we will be in Caelum! We'll be back with Dimitri and Eddie and Adrian! Sounds like fun, well for us anyway, Dimitri..not so much!**

**Now, those who review will get as sneak peak of the next chapter! How does that sound? **

**Happy Mother's Day to all you moms, out there! Where would we be without you...seriously, where would we be?**

**And for the non-Moms out there...go do something nice for your Mom!**

**And if you have Mother's Day on a different day where you live...happy belated/early Mother's Day! **


	13. Oh Dear God

**Welcome back guys!**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Eddie Castile**

After the leaving the planes, we exited the airport and we met with Elite SUV after Elite SUV ready to transport all of us to Guardian HQ. Caelum Interdimensional Airport was apart from the city center of Caelum. It sat on a little island, about twenty minutes away from the city, a beautiful offering to the architectural gods. The airport was all shatterproof glass, the roof all white and curving around just so that the structure resembled a perfect conch shell. The bridge leading to the mainland was just as amazing. While the deck of the bridge was straight, the sides were constructed of of a stunning wave like structure made up of several undulating curved steel ribs that alternatively go above and below the deck. During the day it was a simple steel color, but at night, it light up into a brilliant bronze color.

The rest of the architecture on the mainland was just as stunning, a blend of all styles; traditional, modern, and contemporary; a mixture of old, classic European-style architecture and modernist design. Sydney has probably been having a field day here. She always raved about the architecture in Caelum every time we visited, honestly looking like a kid in a candy store. She had arrived a week before us to set up the apartment she and Adrian would be living in for the next few weeks. According to Rose, every time she and Sydney would meet up, the girl chattered on and on excitedly about paint swatches and furnishings and finishings and more.

We finally made it to the blocks housing both the Elite and Guardian HQs, and what a sight. Two gleaming high rises, housing the offices of the Elite and the Guardians, stood across the street from one another. The Elite building was all sleek, dark grey and mirrored, the Guardian building being of mirrored steel magnificence. On the Elite side, the buildings went back into a triangle shape. The two shorter, but larger brick buildings flanked the high rise. Those were the training facilities. Behind that rows of housing accommodations for the Elite sat. They were of a staggered stone design, with random stones sticking out for those adventurous Elite Agents who liked the rush of climbing, had no fear of heights, and thought that elevators were overrated. The buildings here were connected to one another by underground tunnels. Behind that was a large courtyard and training field and behind that was the Elite Academy, an incredible sprawling castle-like estate that turned out those amazing agents. A few more blocks away was the Elite High Academy, which was the high school for the agents. The Elite Academy was sort of the "college," where they went through Elite I, Elite II, and part of Elite III.

On the other side was the Guardian block. The two buildings next to the sky rise, just as large and impressive as the Elite side and constructed out of impressive brick, were the training facilities. The rest of the buildings, Guardian housing, went out and surrounded the perimeter of the block. All of the buildings were connected, from the Guardian offices located in the gleaming sky rise, to the training buildings, to the Guardian apartments, to the Academy, another castle-esque building, that sat at the other end of the block. This design left a nice, spacious training ground in the middle.

The SUV I was currently riding in pulled into the Guardian side, into a parking area. The Elite Agent behind the wheel stopped the engine and turned to the seven of us in the car with him.

"Okay then, we're here, home sweet home!" He smirked, before getting out of the car. The rest of us followed suit and found ourselves in a parking lot with more SUVs piling in and more Guardians getting out of them. The Elite Agents were beginning to leave, running back across the street to their building and leaving us here to wait for one of their Guardians to come greet us, which I presumed they were going to do.

All of a sudden, I was nearly tackled to the ground by my favorite Elite Agent.

"Eddie!" Rose shrieked excitedly as she body slammed into me. I managed to regain my balance in time so the both of us didn't fall over. We didn't have much interaction on the plane ride, as she was on the upper deck and I on the lower deck. Laughing as we clung onto each other, I spun her around in a circle excitedly, hearing some Elite Agents laughing at our antics.

Finally though, I set Rose back on her feet and she released me from her strong embrace.

"I gotta get back, we left Christian alone today, and who knows what the hell he got up to without us there," she rolled her eyes.

"Yes, because we all know Christian is a party animal!" I rolled my eyes as Rose's eyes narrowed playfully and she punched my arm jokingly.

"Shut up! Before I go, dinner? Tomorrow at La Ciccia?"

"Sure, everyone going to be there?" I nodded.

"Yep, I've already texted Sydney and told her, she should tell Adrian." Rose confirmed.

Adrian. Shit.

"Where'd Adrian go?" I asked, looking around, panicking slightly. Yes, losing your charge was bad Guardian form, but we were in Lux. Here, the Strigoi population was practically non-existent due to the amazing job the Guardians did on their raids.

"Chill," Rose smirked, "he took a cab from the airport to the apartment Sydney got them."

"Thank God," I muttered.

Rose tsked playfully at me. "What's this? The Edison Castile, the dutiful, second in his class, mini-Belikov, forgot his charge? Dishonor!"

"Shut up Mazur," I playfully responded, "at least I don't take naps when I'm with my charge."

"Like anything is actually going to happen to Chris, plus, it's not my fault Ben makes a comfy pillow," she pouted.

"Speaking of…" I said as I saw the Englishman approaching us.

"Eddie, mate!" Ben grinned broadly, pulling me into a manly hug.

"Ben!" I responded as we slapped each other on the backs. I seriously liked this guy. He not only helped Rose immensely when she first arrived here in Caelum, becoming the first new friend she made, but he was the perfect match for Rose. They were both outstanding Elite agents, both being honored as Rookie of the Year in their respective rookie years, and their skill sets complimented each other well. Rose was a little more advanced than Ben with combat and Ben was better with the weaponry, so out during missions, both were extra aware of the needs of the other, having each other's backs totally and completely. And their senses of humor and personalities fit well too. One has not lived until they've watched Ben and Rose spar verbally, her sarcastic wit against his dry sense of humor. Rose is of course the louder of the two. Ben is not shy by any means, but he seems to have a switch within him, one that he could turn on and off, allowing him to be more carefree or respectful and guarded depending on the situation at him. And surprisingly, this seemed to rub off a bit on Rose. Together they were Mazur and Noble, Noble and Mazur, simply amazing together.

"Rose tell you about dinner tomorrow?" he asked as we pulled away.

"Yeah, looking forward to seeing everyone again, catching up, it'll be fun." I nodded, grinning back at the man.

"Damn straight it will!" Ben laughed, slapping me on the back, "And Josh seriously misses you. Your bromance…I mean, it's something so deep and special-" he said with mock seriousness

"But nothing can compare to your guys' bromance, I mean…" I said, gesturing toward him and Rose.

"Well ours isn't a complete bromance, it's more of a…a…" Ben pondered for a sec.

"A bro-ho-mance," Rose finished, nodding affirmatively as I burst into laughter.

"A bro-ho-mance," Ben nodded just as firmly, the two of them high-fiving and looking at each other as if they'd just invented the self-refilling beer bottle.

"A bro-ho-mance," the two of them repeated one last time, wrapping their arms around each other before joining me in raucous laughter.

The three of us soon had to part, Ben and Rose leaving with their arms still around each other. Shaking my head at their antics, I turned and caught a glimpse of Belikov trying to hide his anger over the sight of them. Though is face was pretty impassive, his jaw was grinding together and his fists were clenched pretty hard.

I smirked.

_Oh you poor, poor man…this is just the beginning. _

**Janine Hathaway**

Ibrahim and I observed our daughter as she interacted with Castile and that Noble boy. I let out an involuntary growl of displeasure at the sight of Castile. He and Ivashkov had both moved to the top of my hit list after their little revelation at the airport.

I watched as she and Noble said something to one another, causing Castile to burst into laughter, while the two of them grinned at each other and then wrapped their arms around one another. My eyes narrowed the hand he had resting comfortably on her hip, and the hand she had on him.

_Interesting._

"What do you think?" Ibrahim suddenly asked from beside me.

"About Castile or the boy?"

"Of the boy," he said, nodding toward the tall Englishman, who had served us drinks onboard, with our daughter, looking rather cozy with their arms around one another.

"I think we all know how you feel about Castile," he added, looking at me sharply, no doubt thinking about my earlier outburst at the airport.

"Well, I-"

"Excuse me?"

We both turned to see an Elite agent, waiting expectantly, with a sheet of paper in his hands.

"Yes?" Ibrahim inquired.

"Forgive me for interrupting, but I have a note, for you Mr. Mazur, from Agent Mazur." The agent held out the note.

What?

"Agent _Mazur_?" We both raised our eyebrows at that.

"Yes? Rose Mazur? Your daughter?" The agent looked at us questioningly.

"Well, yes then. Thank you." Ibrahim said, reaching for the note and taking it.

The agent nodded then left.

Peering down at the front of the folded up note, it simply said, _Old Man._ Ibrahim opened the note, and there, in our daughter's hurried scrawl, read…

_Old Man,_

_Well here we all are, in Caelum. I'm sure you and mom (who I know will be reading this with you) are a bit confused and perhaps even a bit pissed off. But that's okay! Everything will be explained later on. I'm writing to you now to help you out. For the duration of your stay in Caelum, the Guardians will be staying in our Guardian accommodations. However, because you are not a Guardian, you cannot stay in Guardian housing. I would offer you the guest bedroom in my apartment, but I don't think it's up to your standards…plus, that room's a freaking mess and I am not cleaning it up! So, below, I have listed hotels around the area that I know will be up to your exceedingly flamboyant standards. _

_Rose_

_The Adagio (Gold wallpaper, gold chandeliers, gold everything! It'll match your earring!)_

_The London Hotel (Amazing views of the city, creepily attentive staff)_

_Baglioni Hotel (Every room has been painted a bright communist-y red, they're all pretty…showy…perfect for a man such as yourself)_

_Le Germain (Cozy, right in the center of the city, close to everything)_

_The Sumahan (On the water, really close to Little Istanbul…which, by the way, remind me on one of my days off to take you there.)_

I tried to ignore the bang of sadness that went through me when I didn't see anything addressed to me, though that was pretty hard when I looked up to see Ibrahim's grinning face.

"What?" I inquired exasperatedly.

"Our daughter."

"What about her?"

"She's trying, Janine! She's attempting to reconnect with us! Well, with me at least." He had the nerve to smirk at that last comment.

"Giving you little hotel reviews does not count as reconnecting," I grumbled.

"She would have offered me the guest bedroom! She wants me to remind her to take us to Little Istanbul! Come now Janine, it's baby steps, but it's something!"

Ibrahim smirked yet again as I huffed.

"You're just bitter that I got to talk to her at the airport, and that you didn't get a note," he said, folding the note and putting it back into his pocket.

The withering glare I shot him did not deter him from continuing.

"Plus, didn't you hear the man? She's Agent _Mazur_ now. _Mazur_," he grinned as I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms.

"I am so becoming the favorite parent," Ibrahim muttered gleefully before I turned and smacked him across his shoulder.

**Rose Hathaway**

"Look! It's our charge, and he managed to get through the whole day without us! Good job!" I cooed as I opened to door to Team Eight's loft in Elite HQ, seeing Christian lounging on one of the couches, watching TV.

"What a good boy! Were you scared? Did you get hurt?" Isabelle joined in.

"Atta boy, Chris!" Jay ruffled Christian's hair as he walked by him.

"They grow up so fast…" Artur sighed, plopping down next to him on the couch.

"Shut it, or I'll fire all your asses," Christian muttered, his eyes glued to the flat screen.

"Literally? Such violence!" Ben smirked. I rolled my eyes, heading over to the fridge in our little kitchen.

Christian scoffed before turning to me. "So, how was it?"

"Good, oh and we're having dinner with Eddie and Adrian tomorrow night," I replied as I twisted open the bottle of iced tea I found.

"Cool, but that's not what I meant," Christian replied.

"Um…my mom got angry and drunk?" I tried again, "And the old man is still wearing those ridiculous outfits. Oh and the look on Guardian faces was priceless-"

"Cut the crap Rose. Just tell me, do I need to set some Russian ass on fire?"

"Yes! Yes you do!" Isabelle called from the second landing where all our room were located.

"Isabelle!" I chided as she only rolled her eyes in response.

"He basically forced her into his seat in the plane when she was serving him his drink. That's borderline ambush!" She called down again.

"Stop being so dramatic!" I called back up. I heard her huff before hearing the door to her room shutting closed.

Turning back to Christian, "No, you do not, emphasis on the not, need to set any Russian ass on fire…except Denis' if he doesn't stop eating my brownies right now!" I narrowed my eyes, as Denis guiltily put the plate back into the fridge.

"Sharing is caring," he muttered with his mouth still full.

"That's just bullshit that they make up to get little kids to get along at daycare, so the supervisor can go and secretly drink while pondering the life choices that led them to spend their days with screaming children." Lev snorted.

The loft got quiet as we all turned and stared at Lev.

"What?" He shrugged before shoving some chips into his mouth and turning his attention back to the flat screen.

Turning my attention back to Christian, "Remember, no setting people on fire."

He held his hands up in a defensive, backing down gesture, and then turned back to the TV screen.

Rolling my eyes, I walked over to the window where Ben was. We both watched as SUV after SUV filed into the Guardian Headquarters parking. Cars full of Guardians ready to meet their counterparts, and the very people who would we would be helping to kick some sorry Guardian asses into shape.

"We've been assigned," Ben said simply.

"Oh yeah? What are we going to be instructing?"

"Basic Specialized Combat and Weaponry with Blades."

Sweet.

"By the way, those are two are mandatory training programs, everyone has to take them. Everyone." Ben adds.

Excellent.

**Dimitri Belikov**

Soon the last car carrying the last group of Guardians had arrived, and all the Elite agents had cleared out. We were left alone in the car park, surrounded by vehicles and nothing else. Suddenly, a door in the dark corner banged open, letting in a stream of light and illuminating the silhouette of a Guardian, not belonging to our group, who stood in the doorway.

"Come on."

That was all he said before he turned and left, not even checking to see if the rest of us were following, which we were considering we had nowhere else to go.

We all slowly began to file through the door and into a brightly lit hallway before heading up a flight of stairs. At this point the Guardian stopped to allow for some catch up…for about ten seconds before he continued. From the flight of stairs we arrived at what looked like the lobby of the main building. There were more Guardians milling about here, most not looking surprised at our appearance. The Guardian leading us walked past another Guardian behind a desk, whom he nodded to, and the other Guardian nodded back before picking up the phone and pressing a button. After waiting a few beats, he said, "They're here," before hanging up the phone.

We followed after the Guardian, down a few hallways, to a large room, which turned out to be a meeting hall. There were rows upon rows of seats, in the movie theater style, enough for the roughly two hundred Guardians that had signed up for the program. The room was split down the middle by stairs, and on either side, the seats. At the front of the room, behind a podium, stood another Guardian, a female with piercing green eyes and jet black hair that was cut rather short, who simply looked at us and said, "Please, take a seat anywhere."

Walking down a few steps, I chose a seat closer to the wall. Soon, more of our Guardians arrived, and after about ten minutes, we had all been seated and settled. Seeing this, the Guardian in front started.

"I am Head Guardian Gemina Croft, and welcome to Caelum." She paused as a few whispers of conversation started.

"Croft?"

"If they're the Guardians, who the hell are the Elite?"

"More Guardians. Maybe they're going to-"

"How the hell did Tatiana find this place?"

"What do you think they're going to do?"

"How did the royal drunk find this place?"

"Please," Head Guardian Croft began, her voice ringing out firmly and clearly, "I will explain everything if you would all allow me to."

That quieted us down.

"Thank you. Now, we are all aware of the troubles that have befallen upon you all. We greatly sympathize with the Guardians, truly, all of Lux has heard of your troubles, and we are appalled at the manner by which the royals have chosen to attempt to rectify the situation. So many were appalled, that many Guardians came to me and asked for us to help. The same goes for the Elite, many of their agents pleaded their case in front of their Elite Council. And so, the Elite and we have come up with a program to assist you all. I want to assure you all that you are in good hands. Here in Caelum, the Guardians and the Elite belong to the Department of Law and Safety. It is our job to keep the peace domestically, and interdimensionally. While we deal with the Moroi and the Strigoi, the Elite handle everything else out there. And trust us, there are many more things more evil that the Strigoi." Head Guardian Croft's last sentence rattled around in my head. Roza…she was part of the Elite…she was out facing creature worse than Strigoi. What could be worse than that?

"You all should be familiar with the Guardian training process. Now, our training will be about ten times more intense than that," Croft continued, a slight smirk on her face, "And the Elite training? Well, let's just say that's a whole new whole you all will be exposed to. Together, we have developed training program that we believe will greatly benefit you all. For the next three months, you all will live and train like a Guardian of Caelum and an Elite Agent. We have rooms for you all to stay in. One person to a room, we have round the clock dining available in our dining hall, or you may choose to eat out after we give you all debit cards later on. Each day, you will alternate between training with us and training with the Elite. Training will start each day at five thirty a.m. sharp and end at seven p.m. each day, with a few exceptions as some trainings will occur at night, and yes, you will be training under a normal human schedule. You will receive a one hour lunch break. Try and relax some, as training will start in two days time. Tomorrow we will tour the facilities here, and then the Elite facilities. Any questions?" Gemina Croft finished.

About half of the Guardians in the room raised their hands.

Up front, Gemina Croft looked like she regretted her last question.

**Two Hours Later**

After all the questions had been answered, we have been led to yet another room, where we had been given our room assignments and the debit card that would be loaded with five hundred dollars each week. By that time it was dinner time, and after an amazing meal in the Guardian's dining hall, we were able to retire for the night.

Unlocking the door to my room, I entered, and found actually a small apartment wait for me. It was a lot nicer than the room I had back at Court. The room was painted a nice white, with the dark furniture contrasting. Stepping through the small hallway, I found a small kitchen to my left, the living area taking up the rest of that section. A room divider partially hid the bedroom, which was really just a bed with a lamp, nightstand, and large wardrobe, but it was still nice, the bed looking clean and comfortable and piled with pillows. Across from the bedroom was the bathroom, again, average sized, but clean.

Setting my bags down, I began to unpack, neatly hanging up my clothes and shoes in the wardrobe, and my toiletries on the bathroom counter. After showering, I changed into night clothes and prepared for bed.

Coming out of the bathroom, I went to turn off the light in the living area and then returned to the bedroom area and climbed into bed. I was about to lay down, before I remembered something. Getting back up and retrieving my duffle bag, I got the red shirt that I had packed and hidden at the bottom of my bag.

The shirt was Roza's. Five years ago, after I heard that she had left with Christian Ozera, I immediately headed to her room, not wanting to believe that she left. The door was of course unlocked, and stepping into the room felt like I had gotten sucker punched in the gut. It was empty. Totally and completely bare. The closet was empty, as was the chest of drawers. That was the moment I knew she truly was gone. I had felt like I was having a panic attack. I went to sit on the bed, Roza's bed, the sheets still unmade and crumpled. It was when I sat down, I had spotted the red fabric of a shirt that she had evidently forgot to bring. I could picture the color going beautifully against her flawless skin. It still smelled like her. A simple red tee shirt. That was all I had left of Roza. So I took it, and I've kept it ever since, keeping it under my pillow, close to me. It made the bed a little less cold and lonely.

As I made my way back to bed, I brought the shirt up to my nose, inhaling deeply. Over the years, the scent had faded, but I could still faintly smell Roza in it. I wrapped the shirt around my pillow, and went off into sleep, where dreams of my beautiful brown-eyed girl awaited me.

**The Next Day **

"And here, we have the smaller gyms. Here agents usually spar with their partners or work on something individually." Our Elite agent tour guide, Shelley, led us from the larger gym to the room holding the smaller gym. Today we had been taken on a tour of the Guardian facilities, which were impressive and made the facilities at Court look juvenile in comparison, and now we were touring the Elite, which was just as amazing. We had been split into groups today, ten to a group, and as my luck would have it I was in the same group as Castile and Guardian Hathaway.

This smaller gym was rather long and was compartmentalized into smaller training stations along the side walls, with a window so outsiders could see what was happening inside. Each station was like a mini gym. In one of the rooms, an agent was facing off against what looked to be a hologram opponent; in another, two agents were sparing, and so on. Most of the rooms were occupied, with most of the agents too busy concentrating on their work out to notice us walking past. Also, most had music blaring from their phones, loud enough that the person outside could hear. We were walking along when I spotted a familiar figure, and stopped abruptly. Luckily, most of the rest of the group had chosen to stop and see the show as well.

_Got me like, oh my gosh, I'm so in love_

_I found you finally, you make me want to say_

_Oh oh oh oh, oh oh oh oh oh, oh oh oh oh oh_

_Oh oh, oh my gosh_

In one of the stations was Roza, with Ben Noble.

Music blasted as the two of them, completely dressed in the black and grey Elite training clothes, circled each other in the small room. Both of them held a sword the size of a small machete in both of their hands. They continued to circle, unaware of the rest of us, watching, mesmerized.

_You make me want to say, you make me want to say_

_Oh oh oh oh, oh oh oh oh oh oh_

Roza struck first advancing with one blade kept in a defensive position in front of her, and the other in offense, pointed toward Noble. Noble in turn charged at her with the blade upheld, going to his foreswing and following it with a backswing. Roza dodged the foreswing and met the backswing with her own swords. The weight of the strike sent Noble's blade back, back, back…but not far enough to knock the blade free of his hands.

_Fell so hard for honey out of all the girls up in the club_

_This one got me whipped just after one look, yup, I fell in love_

_This one something special, this one just like dynamite_

_Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh, out of sight_

My fists clenched at the lyrics of the song. Beside me, Guardian Hathaway looked scandalized while Castile simply smirked.

Noble righted himself and struck again. This arcing shot narrowly touching Roza, almost slicing the fabric of Roza's training gear if she hadn't had arched herself back right in the nick of time. The blade missed by a mere centimeter. Roza staggered back. Noble swung again. His sword missed again, though this time, not close enough to eat fabric. Roza managed a smirk, and then said something to Noble while striking with her own sword. Their swords met in the middle with a great clang.

_Fell in love with honey like my, oh my_

_Honey, look, you're wonderful, fly, so fly_

_Honey like a super-model, my, oh my_

_Baby, how you do that make a grown man cry_

_Swing. Swing. Swing. _Roza attacks again. The two stand in one place, trading feints, thrusts and parries with lightning speed, almost impossible to follow. The two of them are talking, though we can't hear them, and the smirks covering both their faces, suggests the talking is more like taunting. Noble has no trouble matching Roza. He takes a step around an imaginary circle. Roza steps the other way the two of them are now exactly opposite their initial positions. The duel continues. Their blades flash and clang and ring. Both of them are rigid, sweat staring to form, breath becoming heavy.

_Oh, baby, you got it all_

_Sexy from her head to toe_

_And I want it all and all and all_

He parries using one hand, twisting and dodging, she mirrors his movements perfectly. For a while it seems like no one will gain the upper hand. The two of them too perfectly well matched. Too attuned to one another's thoughts and actions. But then…Noble, with a great swing from his sword, strikes at Roza's sword, dislodging the blade from her hand and sending it into the padded mats attached to the walls. Now Roza is more vulnerable. Her defensive sword now had to pull double duty as offense and defense, but she manages. They begin trading feints and thrusts and parries again, however, this time moving.

_So honey let me love you down_

_There's so many ways to love you_

_Baby, I can break it down_

_There's so many ways to love you_

_Got me like, oh my gosh, I'm so in love_

_I found you finally, you make me want to say_

Then I notice it, Roza is slowly walking the two of them toward her sword lodged. Noble must have noticed this as well, as his offense doubles, both his swords now jabbing at Roza, who is doing an incredible job blocking his attacks. Noble goes for another foreswing-backswing combination, but Roza is prepared, having her sword block both. Now they are gridlocked, their swords grinding against each other as they fight for power and dominance. Finally, Roza manages to dislodge one of Noble's swords from his hands, and in his distracted glance to see where it went, Roza front kicks Noble, causing him to fall to the ground. Roza quickly reaches and yanks the sword from the wall. The force from which she had to yank out the sword sends her tumbling down…right on top of Noble. Quickly though, Roza sits up, straddling the man, and crosses her swords together into an 'X', right on top of Noble's chest, rendering him "dead."

_Oh oh oh oh, oh oh oh oh oh, oh oh oh oh oh_

_Oh oh, oh my gosh_

_Oh my gosh, oh my, oh my_

_Oh, o-oh my gosh_

We watch as Roza, thankfully, gets off of Noble, and begin her celebration dance. And dear God, her dance…

"Holy isolated hip movements…" I heard a Guardian breathe out behind me.

I watched, mesmerized, as Roza gloated; her grin broad as she laughed as she pointed down at Noble teasingly while he rolled his eyes. But it was what she was doing with her lower body that got everyone's attention. Her hips…they were swaying, no, not a sway, they had a throw and bounce to them, like the movement one sees from belly dancers. They bounced side to side, side to side, side to side…

"Those hips definitely do not lie," the Guardian next to Castile licked his lips.

The withering look Guardian Hathaway, Castile, and I shot him shut him up.

Shelley smirked at our reactions.

"Just so you know, Agent Noble acts on his days off. He'll be appearing as d'Artagnan in the Three Musketeers at the Spero Theater this weekend. And Agent Mazur teaches a belly dancing class on her days off. I highly recommend it! You'll work muscles you didn't know you had. And those kegel exercises she makes you do…"

Every male in our group straightened up at the word, "kegel."

I growled. Guardian Hathaway growled. Castile snickered.

"Wait, so Mazur dances?" Guardian Lenov asked as his slimy eyes raked over Roza's figure.

Inside, Roza and Noble had finally realized that they had an audience. Roza had stopped dancing, and was now looking partially horrified and partially amused. Noble on the other hand, was laughing hysterically.

"Mhmm, in fact, I think she managed to get Ben to do a tango with her! They're performing it this week I think.." Shelley trailed off.

A tango. They would be doing a tango. All I was currently picturing in my head was Noble's hand running all over Roza's body as they danced.

Oh Dear God.

* * *

**Hey guys! *sidesteps tomato thrown from angry mob***

**Okay, so I know I haven't updated in...nearly three weeks, yes, I know, really really bad! *hands head in shame* I'm so, so sorry! I tried to update, but I just could not find the time! My only excuse is school, but now that's over and summer's started (SWEET FREEDOM) which means I have more time to write! ;) **

**Also, due to the long wait, I combined two chapters to create this gigantic chapter (seriously, it's thirteen pages in my word document). Originally, I was going to stop after Janine. Aren't you glad I didn't? Haha. And again, it's late as I'm posting this, so any grammar or spelling mistakes will be fixed later.**

**So...please leave me a review! And tell me what you thought of:**

**Abe and Janine and Rose's little olive branch.**

**The class Ben and Rose will teach.**

**Dimitri and Rose's shirt.**

**Ben and Rose's training and everyone's reaction. Heehee.**

**Love you guys lots! And until next time!**


	14. Finalizing the Details

**Hey guys! Back with another chapter! Yay! **

**However, before that, I did get some questions from the past chapters, so I'm going to answer those right now…**

**RoseLissaBelikova: **_**What's Rose's signature weapon?**_

**Great question, and it'll be answered this chapter!**

_**When you describe Ben, you say he has "pale, rune-marked skin" and nephilim are usually the only ones with runes. You never actually mentioned exactly what Ben was (or at least I don't think you did...) but I guess I just assumed he was dhampir. Is he dhampir or nephilim or something else?**_

**I don't think I ever outright mentioned what each character is so...**

**Ben - Nephilim**

**Isabelle - Nephilim**

**Josh - Nephilim**

**Lev - Dhampir**

**Artur - Dhampir**

**Denis -Dhampir**

**Jay - Werewolf**

**Leigha - Witch**

**Dianna - Part Hunter (a type of shapeshifter we'll learn more about later)/ Part Siren (Again, more about this later)**

**We'll dig into more mythology later on.**

**Also, as a little side note…this girl has got to get out of my head! Haha! She always seems to know what I'm plotting for the future chapters…**

**Miiki Clayton: ****_I'm confused are Rose and Ben dating? or…_**

**I'm going to answer this in my favorite way…*shrugs* I don't know…are they? *evil grin***

**Also, I just want to take the time to thank all of you guys for your wonderful reviews! I love getting reviews, and reading about how much you like Ben and the rest of the gang, the antics with Abe and Janine, and Eddie and Adrian, and Caelum, and all that good stuff! It really brightens up my day! And I know not every chapter is action packed and exciting, but I, the OCD perfectionist, feel that they need to be included, so thank you so much for bearing with me and reading and reviewing, even if the chapters isn't really that great! Thanks so much! *sends you all your own virtual Dimitri…or Ben…depending on who you like!***

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Rose Mazur**

"It's not funny." I glared at Ben for the fifth time in the past five minutes.

Ben finished up yet another one of his laughing fits and had the nerve to grin at me.

"Yes it is love, and you know it."

I sniffed and looked back at the target. After our sword sparing, which turned into an impromptu performance, unbeknownst to us, we moved onto target practice. Well, I had moved onto target practice, Ben continued to laugh his ass off.

"The lo-the look on everyone's faces! Priceless!" His snickers beginning to evolve into full blown laughter.

Okay, so a bunch of Guardians, including my ex-boyfriend and my mom got to watch Ben and I work out, meaning they got to see me kick some major ass. Yay. Getting to see me straddle Ben and then dance my victory dance which just so happens to involve belly dancing? Not so yay. The moment Ben and I finally got out of our intense sparring mode and finally realized what song was playing? Definite not yay.

Gritting my teeth and narrowing my eyes, I ignored his laughter and focused on the task in front of me. Rolling my shoulders, I faced the person shaped target, spinning my smaller, disk sized chakram around my index finger, making sure it had just the right enough spin and force behind it, before letting it go. The chakram hit the target right where the heart would be on an actual person with a satisfying thump.

Grinning pleasantly, I moved to retrieve my weapon so Ben could get in position for his throw.

During my Weaponry 101 class, I struggled to find my signature weapon. Sure, I had known my way around a stake, but here, the stake was child's play compared to the vast array of weapons out there. I played around with several before finding _the one_. The ax, while cool, wasn't really my style. The bow and arrow was better, but they were rather hard on my hands. The electrum whip Isabelle favored was…well, that was just a bad experience all around. I actually did well with the daggers and swords, and they were a staple in my weapon arsenal, but they just didn't feel _right_. Yes they were cool and I could use them without being a danger to myself and the people around me, but they just didn't _connect_ with me. I tried so many more, all with the same results, until one day, I picked up the chakram. The moment I picked it up, I felt connected with it; I knew this was going to be my weapon. Apparently I had an affinity for hurling objects because the moment I first used the chakram, I took right to it. My instructor, Professor Blake, was impressed. He said it took many a while to learn how to simply use the chakram without cutting themselves, and even more years to master it. It took me four years to master it. I learned all sorts of methods to throwing it; frisbee style, forehanding it, spinning it around my index finger, and many more. The chakram came in many sizes, but I usually used the smaller sizes because they were easier to carry around and store. Plus, they made a great accessory.

Ben stepped up to the marker, throwing his dagger up into the air and catching it several times before launching it at the target.

_Thwap._

Right through the heart. Bullseye.

After Ben took his turn, he was back into his playful mode; grinning, snickering, giving my looks that read "you're secretly happy that Belikov saw that."

Damn why did this man know me so well?

I, in return, shot him a look that said, "Shut up or I'll pound your face."

He countered with a smirk. "You know, when you starting dancing, I thought the eyeballs of the other Guardians were going to fall out."

I couldn't help but laugh as he mimed the reactions of the other Guardians in the group. Truth be told, I didn't really notice the reactions of the others, I was focused on the reactions of one particular person.

"_Woo hoo!" I cheered as I got off of Ben. It wasn't every day I could beat one of the best swordsmen in the history of the Elite, and damnit, I was proud! I deserved a little gloating. _

_My victory dance, however, was cut short when Ben began to laugh._

"_What?" I demanded, my hands immediately landing on my hips as I pursed my lips._

"_What? What is it?" This only managed to further Ben's hysteria._

"_Why are you-what the hell are you laughing at!?" I demanded, more firmly this time._

_Ben, with his shoulders still shaking and one hand on his stomach, managed to point with his other hand at the window of the training stations._

_Rolling my eyes, I turned to the window, expecting to see some of our Elite colleagues at the window, making jokes, gestures, the stuff we were used to- oh shit._

_At the window was not our usual group of spectators, but a group of Guardians getting the tour of the Elite. A group containing the two worst possible people to witness what they just witnessed. Beside them stood Eddie, who shot me a suggestive eyebrow wiggle and wide grin along with a dorky thumbs up. Beside him stood my appalled mother; all five feet of her shaking, her neck and face almost as red as her hair. She looked like she was seconds away from opening the door to the room and dragging me out. However, their reactions were nothing compared to the reaction of the man next to my mom; Dimitri. His arms were crossed, and, to an outsider, his face was impassive. However, I was not an outsider, and I knew better. I saw how awed he was, how his eyes roamed hungrily up and down my frame, lingering at my hips. Gleefully, I noted how he would start at the bottom, his gaze dragging up my bare legs (I silently patted myself on the back for wearing one of the shorter workout shorts I owned today) and pausing to admire the curve of my ass before making their way past my taut stomach, my chest, and up to my face. Our eyes met briefly before he looked away to turn his attention to the Guardian next to him who had made a comment. Whatever that comment was, Dimitri did not seem to like it, as he glared at the man. _

_I knew that glare. It was Dimitri's jealous glare. Knowing men, the man next to him had probably made some obscene comment about me. Dimtri Belikov was jealous and a little pissed, and I didn't even have to try. _

_I smirked. Hey, I worked hard and prided myself on my work out regime and my figure showed for it. At the end of the day, men were men, and Dimitri Belikov was no exception. _

_And then I notice what song was blaring out of the stereo._

"_Oh come on!" I groaned. I just could not catch a break could I?_

_Ben must have noticed the song as well, because his laughter started up again in full force._

_I loved the man, but right now I just really wanted to punch him._

"So, I'm guessing by that shit eating grin on your face, that yes, you are indeed pleased with yourself," Ben's smug voice brought me out of my reverie.

I rolled my eyes. No point in lying to the man…

"Only at little bit," I grinned, holding up my forefinger and thumb about half a centimeter apart from each other.

"Mhmm, sure," Ben rolled his eyes as he brought his hand up and mocked my gesture.

"Stuff it Noble. You've gotten me in enough trouble today."

"Me? I wasn't the one dancing around saucily in nothing but shorts and a tank top," Ben raised his eyebrow.

I grinned, "And thank God for that! I mean, come on, I think we all agree that I look way better dancing around "saucily," in skimpy clothing, don't you think?"

"No need to get rude, love." He smirked, his hand going over his chest in mock heartbreak.

"No need to get sensitive, sweetheart," I countered back, beginning to pack up my blades and chakrams.

We bantered back and forth while we packed up our remaining weapons before heading out of the gym.

Turning, I took in the area right in front of the training center we were just in. If I used my imagination enough, I could still see Dimitri gazing at me through the glass. I could still feel the weight of his lusty gaze upon me, and the shot of desire that zinged through me when he was checking me out.

Shaking my head, I cleared my head of Dimitri filled thoughts, and followed Ben out of the gym.

**Dimitri Belikov**

Compared to what transpired in the gym, the rest of the tour was pretty tame. We toured the rest of the training areas, then moved on to Agent accommodations where we all secretly wished that the Guardian accommodations back at Court could be like the ones at the Elite. From there, we wandered the courtyard, which was filled with even more Agents; training, or just generally milling about. None of them were rude or gawking, in fact most ignored us, except a select few who some shot us smiles.

By the end of both tours, it was safe to say that most of us were excited to be training not only at the Elite and Guardian facilities, but with the Elite and Guardians as well.

After touring, we were led to the same meeting room we were in yesterday. The difference was that today they had the large screen projector on that took up the entire back wall. At our seats, we each had a tablet.

Once we all filed in and had taken a seat, Guardian Croft began.

"Today, you will be assigned into your classes. If you will look at your tablets, you will begin signing up for your classes now. To start simply enter your name…" she paused as we all began to do what we were old.

"Okay now, you should be at the next step. You see those tabs? Select the tab that says 'Program Sign up,' and now your screen should look something like this…" She gestured up at the screen, where the page now had two tabs, one reading 'Mandatory' and the other 'Elective.' "The mandatory classes, are of course, mandatory. They are core classes, a mix of actual Elite and Guardian classes we have here in Caelum. There are six mandatory core classes as you will see. The elective classes are the fundamental, non-combative classes we have here. You will select two from the list, any two that you would like. Afterwards, the confirmation button will appear, of course click it, and you will be done. Also, you will still be guarding, not any specific charges, but the schools. We wouldn't want you to become rusty now would we? The tablets are yours to keep. Tonight, your finalized schedule will be sent to you and sessions will begin the day after tomorrow." Guardian Croft finished.

Doing as I was told, I first picked the mandatory tab, and six classes immediately came up.

_Basic Specialized Combat_

_Contemporary Combat Arts_

_Stealth, Tracking, and Specialized Offense_

_Weaponry 101_

_Weaponry with Blades_

_Specialized Advanced Weaponry _

Next to each session name were the times the session would be offered. After choosing the times that would work for me, I moved onto the elective tab.

The screen filled up with at least two dozen class options. Everything from Potions to Cultures of Realms to Mythology. Glancing over them, I chose the two that interested me the most.

_Histories of Species._

_Formations of the Guardians and the Elite._

It will be nice not to have all combative and physical classes. Plus, I was rather interested in how all of this came to be. After I clicked the confirm button, the little ping from the device told me that my schedule had went through.

When we had all finished, we were dismissed, leaving us free to go to dinner. Afterwards, I retired to my room and prepared for bed.

I was lounging on my bed, reading one of my Westerns I had brought along when the tablet I had placed on the nightstand pinged.

Retrieving it, I found my schedule waiting for me.

_**Monday and Wednesday (Location: Elite block)**_

_Contemporary Combat Arts (Lecture, then Training) _

_Histories of Species _

_Basic Specialized Combat_

_**Tuesday and Thursday (Location: Guardian block)**_

_Stealth, Tracking, and Specialized Offense_

_Weaponry 101_

_Formations of Guardians and the Elite_

_**Friday (Location: Elite block)**_

_Weaponry with Blades _

_Specialized Advanced Weaponry_

_Guard shift_

_**The first class listed will be the first class you report to each day. Instructors will introduce themselves upon first session.**_

I studied my schedule, finding no problems with it. I was particularly pleased that I had three days of training out of the week at the Elite block. This gave me a greater chance to see Roza. Sure, I would be in the training sessions most of the time, but I was confident that we would run across each other eventually.

With that thought driving me, I set aside my Western, switched off the tablet and lamp, and drifted off to sleep.

**Rose Mazur**

It was rather late, but most of us were still here, finalizing up details with the training sessions, which were going to begin in two days time. I sat in my office, trying to come up with a lesson plan, when I heard the door open and then shut.

I looked up. Ben approached me with his tablet, smirking softly.

"They finalize the schedules?" I asked, my eyes still trained on my computer.

"Yup." He placed the tablet in front of me, the screen full of names of Guardians. "We got sessions Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, all day."

"Great," I blew out a deep breath. Twelve hours days full of instructing. Instructing was fine, and we did a little bit of it with the kids over at the High Academy, but agents like me and Ben, we craved action. Instructing…not to heavy on the action.

"It'll be alright love," Ben smiled encouragingly. I met his steel gray eyes and smiled, reaching out and squeezing his hand.

"Of course! We're together, aren't we?" I grinned. "That's all I really need to get through the day with my sanity intact."

Ben laughed heartily.

"Well that's excellent love because you're going to need it. Look. The last class for Combat and the first class for Weaponry," he gestured at the tablet again.

Scrolling through the names on both lists, I found three repeating names.

_Edison Castile_

_Janine Hathaway_

_Dimitri Belikov_

* * *

***smiles* Let the fun really begin! **

**See you all later! As always, please review and have a great day wherever you are!**


	15. Next!

**Hey guys!**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

_**Two Days Later**_

**Dimitri Belikov**

"Dude, I'm still sore from this morning."

"That Isabelle chick, I'm not sure whether I should be afraid of her, or turned on…it scares me."

"She scares me…and turns me on."

"And her partner just stood there laughing at us!"

"That flip she did this morning…"

"Forget the flip! Did you see that whip?"

"How could you not notice it? That thing never left her arm…"

I shook my head at the antics of the younger Guardians. It was mid-day, and we were just leaving Histories of Species, the first lesson being the origins of each species. The class, a lecture class, was interesting, at least in my opinion, and a welcome reprieve from the physical gruel we were subjected to this morning.

The day had started out well. The first class, Contemporary Combat Arts, was first a lecture, then followed by a gym session. The lecture went well enough. The Agents running the lecture, Agents Tennant and Smith, had begun with basic hand to hand combat techniques. After that they had sent us off to one of the gyms, where we were met by Agents Lightwood and Markov, who kindly told us to simply address them by their first names, Isabelle and Lev.

That was the last kind act of the session.

After that, they wanted to see if we had actually paid attention during the lecture, and summoned us one by one to face them. And by them they meant Isabelle. Lev stood with a tablet in his hand, observing us and taking notes.

Isabelle looked like a normal girl, only the golden silver whip coiled about her arm gave a hint to a slight rebellious edge. However with my time with Roza, I should have known that these types of girls made for the most lethal fighters.

Isabelle managed to not only take down the entire class, all thirty of us, in forty minutes, but she managed to do quite a bit of damage to our bodies and our egos as well.

It was sad how pathetic we were.

Afterwards, Isabelle politely informed us that today's session was done, and released us early for an early lunch.

After having lunch at the dining hall of the Elite, we were told to report to our next sessions. I, of course, headed to Histories of Species.

Now, I was headed to Basic Specialized Combat, wondering how this class would deviate from Contemporary Combat Arts and if it would hurt nearly as much.

I sincerely hoped not.

Heading into yet another small gym, I was met with the sight of a few of my fellow Guardian trainees. It was an odd prospect. Many of us had trained for practically our whole lives to become Guardians. We thought we had trained to the best of our abilities to become the best Guardian we could. Now, a group of people were telling us that this was not true. That all of our hard work and training wasn't enough, that there was more to be learned. Now, if the Guardians here and the Elite agents were all talk and no action, we would have been more skeptical of their abilities and what they were trying to say. I mean, we were in another _dimension_ for Christs' sake. _Dimension_. If it weren't for the fact that Head Guardian Croft had so eloquently and in so much detail described the situation and assured as so many times that, yes, this was indeed real, that we were not hallucinating, many of us would have still believed that this was all a very, very vivid dream.

As for myself, sure, I had all delusions that the other Guardians had, but for me, there was one other thing grounding me firmly in reality.

Roza.

Knowing that she was here, whole, alive, and as beautiful as ever, was all I needed to convince myself that all this was real.

I was brought out of my musings by the sound of a door opening and closing. While I was lost in my thoughts, more Guardians had arrived. I spotted Guardian Hathaway and Castile amongst the group. Looking up, I saw Agent Noble standing atop of a small second landing in the gym. He was dressed in the standard Elite Agent training uniform, basic black stretch pants with silver detailing with a matching black sleeveless shirt. His eyes swept over the thirty or so Guardians in the room peering up at him.

"Welcome to Basic Specialized Combat. I'm Agent Noble, and I'll be one of your instructors. If you'd like, you can call me Ben."

One of? I knew Roza was his partner. My eyes began to scan the corners of the gym, expecting to see her form somewhere.

"While the rest of the classes you will take here will teach you things all new, this class will add to the knowledge you already have. However, just because you are not technically learning anything new, you will not be expected to slack off in any way, shape or form. You all attend all the trainings to the best of your ability. You will do the exercises to the best of your ability and you _will_ learn. And not but certainly not least, you respect me and my partner. We are your instructors, and we expect to be treated as such. Now,"

Noble paused as he gripped the railing of the small landing he stood on, flipped himself over the railing, and landed perfectly on the ground floor.

Okay, that was impressive.

"Today's going to be light," he started again, "we'll just be working on some one on one sparring to see what you know. Think you can handle that?"

We all nodded our agreement.

"Good." Noble smirked.

"Uhm," one of the Guardians in the group coughed, actually raising his hand.

"Yes?" Noble raised his eyebrow.

"Will be sparring with each other? Or you or…?"

"Neither," Noble said simply.

"You'll be sparring with me." An oh so familiar voice called down from the upper landing. A womanly figure stood atop of the landing, pulling her hair up.

In a second Roza did the same flip maneuver that Noble did earlier, landing in front us perfectly, dressed in the same training uniform as Noble.

She smiled brilliantly, if not a bit scarily, at us. "Agent Mazur. You can call me Rose."

She smiled again, and more than half the men in the group leered at her appreciatively while I tried to stamp down the ugly urge to lunge at them.

Roza led us over to the mats, Noble procured a tablet from somewhere, and the two of them stood, facing us.

"So, who'd like to go first?" She smirked.

The room was silent for a moment, and I was about to volunteer, when someone else beat me to it.

"I'll go," Janine Hathaway stepped forward confidently as a murmur broke out amongst the group.

She stepped up to her daughter confidently.

"Name," Rose said simply.

Guardian Hathaway looked taken aback. "Excuse me?"

"Name. We need your name." Rose repeated.

"You know my name," Guardian Hathaway crossed her arms.

Roza shot Noble a look. He smiled slightly as she shook her head.

"We still need it. It's procedure."

Guardian Hathaway narrowed her eyes at her daughter, "Janine Hathaway."

"Janine Hathaway," Rose called toward Noble, whose fingers were working the tablet.

"Janine Hathaway," Noble repeated, "Go."

That was apparently the signal to start the spar.

The two circled each other for a while before Guardian Hathaway made the first move. She struck out, but Roza dodged the punch easily. Guardian Hathaway struck out again, this time with more force, but Roza deflected the blow once again. It seemed as if Guardian Hathaway was all offense, while Roza was all defense. Guardian Hathaway was getting more aggressive with trying to land a blow, but she was nor succeeding. This was basic knowledge, not to focus too much on offense as it would tire you out much faster. However, Guardian Hathaway seemed to be ignoring that. It seemed that she was attempting to unleash some anger upon her daughter. In fact, the more she lashed out, the sloppier she became, which led her to tire quicker, leaving her open and vulnerable to attack. We watched, awestruck as Roza finally went on the offense, jabbing before managing to grab her mother's ankle, and flipping her over flat on her back, rendering her mother the loser.

The entire spar lasted a little under a minute.

From the mat, Guardian Hathaway looked up at her daughter, shocked. Roza certainly would not have been able to do that years ago.

From her still standing position, Roza looked down at her mother briefly before looking back at our shocked group.

"Next!"

Ignoring her mother, who was quietly fuming while getting up and dusting herself off the mat before moving aside, Roza's gaze swept across our group.

No one in the group stepped forward, no one even made eye contact with her. No one had thought that the formerly reckless girl would grow into a powerful fighter, capable of taking down her own mother, one of the best Guardians around.

Eventually though, someone was pushed forward, and he went. The process was the same. State your name, Noble took down your name, the spar started. He was out within a minute as well. Another went. She was out in the same fashion of her predecessor. And then another went and then another, all leaving in the same way. Shocked and hurting. The only people who didn't leave completely hurt were Alberta Petrov Guardian Castile. Alberta managed to to last about a minute more than the rest of the Guardians before Rose took her down. She took it good naturedly though, and shot Roza a fond smile when she got up, a smile that Roza returned much to the anger of Janine Hathaway. Guardian Castile had actually been eager to go against his friend. He managed actually a little more than a minute with Roza. Afterwards, she even offered him a hand off the mat and a smile.

That lucky bastard.

Eventually, after about half the group had gone, I stepped forward.

Roza's face was blank and before she could ask for my name I spoke.

"Dimitri Belikov."

"Dimitri Belikov," she nodded to Noble, who was already typing on the tablet.

He nodded. "Go."

I lunged first. Roza ducked and deflected from my attacks with amazing ease and grace. Finally, I managed to grab her wrist, still feeling the spark that came whenever we touched. I vaguely heard the other members of the group gasp. That was the first time all day anyone managed to lay a hand on Roza. Color them impressed apparently.

"I knew if anyone could take her, it would be Belikov," I heard someone mutter.

I tried to land a punch to her ribs, but she caught my fist in time and tried to bring her knee up for a kick. However, I managed to maneuver my lower body back and wrestle my hand from her grasp. Taking a moment to regain my balance, I then struck again, this time using my legs in an attempt to trip her. She seemed to know my plan however as she leaped back before bringing up her own leg and aiming a roundhouse kick to my shoulder. I stumbled back, my shoulder stinging badly in pain, but I couldn't and wouldn't let that get to me.

I recovered quickly and grabbed her wrist in an attempt to flip her, but she grabbed my other wrist just in time, leaving is gridlocked, trying to fight for control. Roza twisted around, maneuvering in such a way that she managed to get around and kick me in the lower back area. Letting out a grunt of pain, I retaliated with my own blow to her side, causing her to stumble back. We now circled each other a few times. After about the third circle, she made the first move. She moved back a bit before sprinting toward me. At first I thought she was going to jump onto me, and I almost made to catch her. However, I realized grimly, and too late, that she wasn't coming for me, but at me. My body made contact with the mat and the breath left me form the force of Roza's kick to my jaw.

_Shit_ that hurt.

However, I am slightly ashamed to say that what happened next made all the pain go away.

Roza landed on me after her kick her legs going to either side of me, straddling me. Roza was straddling _me. _Contact had been made. My joy was short though, as Roza moved off of me, not even looking at me.

"Next!"

* * *

**Rose Mazur**

"Well, I would count that as a pretty good first day, wouldn't you? Ms I'm-so-smug-and-happy-that-I-managed-to-kick-some-major-Guardian-ass-today. Or would you prefer Ms I-climbed-on-top-on-my-ex-boyfriend-liked-it" Ben raised an eyebrow, smirking.

"Your words, not mine," I grinned, "And yes, I would consider that a very good first day."

"Mhmm, was that because you managed to take down your mother in a matter of seconds, or because you had Belikov flat on his back?"

I flushed. Yes, I actually flushed, when I flashedback to today's earlier training session.

Ben and I had planned on a dramatic introduction, which I think we successfully accomplished. We had planned on letting me spar with the group so I could kick some ass while Ben took notes. What we hadn't planned on was what we would do if I somehow found myself on top of Dimitri Belikov. It was a scenario my teenage self had fantasized about for years...

And then it actually happened five years later, when things had ended badly and I had slightly panicked and rushed to get another person up.

"Shut up! Well, maybe a little of both!" I sniffed as we finally reached Team Eight's loft.

Upon opening the door, we were hit with the wonderful scent of an Italian feast.

"Smells good Chris," I called out to our charge, who was currently in the small kitchen, stirring something in a pot.

"Thanks. It's Spaghetti Bolognese. Just about ready."

"Awesome, I'm starved." Josh grinned, entering the loft.

"You know Chris," Isabelle sidled up to Christian, nibbling on a carrot, "you'd make a great househusband to a pretty breadwinner."

The rest of us laughed while Christian glared at Isabelle.

"Yes, because I'm studying for my PhD in Chemistry just to become a househusband. That's the ultimate dream," Christian snarked back.

"Aww, but Chris, you'd make such a pretty trophy husband," Leigha teased from where she was tossing the salad.

"Shut up or-"

"You'll fire all our asses," the rest of us finished in complete unison. Seriously, the boy made that comment all the time.

We all cracked ourselves up, and even Christian joined in.

Soon, the sauce was ready. Christian brought over two vats of the Spaghetti Bolognese, hey we had eleven people to feed, including me and a werewolf. Leigha brought the salad, and Jay pulled the garlic bread from the oven. We all sat at the round dining table and started digging in, Christian immediately receiving compliments for his amazing cooking. We chatted about our respective days in our respective classes. Isabelle gleefully told us of how she made most of the men in her class afraid of her while Lev rolled his eyes. Dianna and Denis retold how their class had begun to address them as if they were drill sergeants by the end of class, Leigha and Josh telling the story of their group faces when Leigha revealed that she was a witch, and Jay and Arthur pondered over if we were too harsh for the first day. A collective "Nah," was the verdict to that. And finally, Ben relayed the story of how I managed to take down almost every Guardian in less than a minute, including my mother.

"That'll land you in the ninth ring of hell, I heard," Christian smirked from behind his glass of red wine.

"So? I'll be in good company, with you and Isabelle there," I grinned at Christian lifted his glass in an apparent toast of my comment.

The rest of the group laughed at our antics, before Josh turned to me.

"Did Belikov give you any trouble?" He asked worriedly.

"I hope not. I managed to do some damage to him during my class." Isabelle piped up.

"Guys," I rolled my eyes, "I'm fine!"

"Yeah, in fact, it was she who did the damage," said Ben, matter of factly.

"Atta girl!" Jay grinned.

"Really? I knew you could do it! How bad did you kick his ass?" Artur grinned.

"I wasn't that hard on them guys," I replied.

"Wasn't that hard? You kicked him three times! And then you took him down, got him flat on his back, and got on top of him-" Ben started.

"On top? Like straddling?" Leigha piped up.

"Oooh, I knew you would like being on top," Isabelle beamed.

"And to finish it all off, she never even made eye contact with the man." Ben finished.

"Woah."

"Damn Rose, you left the man injured, in pain, and on his back, and no eye contact? That's cold."

"I approve," said Christian simply.

"Me too!"

"Ditto."

"That's our girl!"

The rest of the team grinned and nodded their approval while I shook my head and dug into more of the pasta.

It was about two hours later when we all started heading home. Ben dropped me off in front of my apartment complex, as always before heading to his.

"Hey Alexsey," I grinned at the young male, my night doorman, as I entered the building. He nodded back in greeting.

"Miss Rose, good day?"

"Excellent. How about you? How's the family?" Alexsey was the new proud papa to two twin girls.

"Loud," he grinned as I laughed, bidding him goodbye and heading into the elevator. Once it reached the sixth floor, I stepped out and made the short steps to my apartment. Unlocking the door, I dropped my keys on the table stand I had next to the door, hung by purse up, and headed up to my bedroom. While starting the shower, I thought back to the glimpse that I seen of Dimitri's eyes. The pure unadulterated lust in his eyes. The same look that would have matched mine if I hadn't hurriedly gotten off of him. Sighing, I shook my head of those thoughts and got in the showing, eager to bathe and then for some shut eye. After showering and completing my nightly skincare regime, I was just pulling my pajamas on when I heard it.

It was coming from the window near my fire escape, which was located next to my living room. A creak, just a small one. A creak that was telling me that I hadn't locked that window up because I rarely ever due to the building being secured by witches charms and because I liked to go out there and think sometimes. A creak that told me that someone had just successfully gotten in.

* * *

***DUN DUN DUUNN!***

**So who do you guys think it is! Leave me your thoughts about this in a review and we'll see in the next chapter.**

**Ooh, and I have something really important to discuss with you guys...WE GOT TO 300 REVIEWS! Holy shit guys! Thank you so much! I know that not all of my chapters deserve twenty reviews each, and that I don't update as consistently as I and you guys would like to, but I just have to say thank you do much for always reviewing and favoriting and following and the PMs! Seriously, your loyalty and love rock and brighten up my day! Thank you all so so much! As a reward, anyone who reviews will get a sneak peak at the next chapter!**

**Also, I want to apologize for the late update! Summer's been busier than I expected with me taking my permit test (Yes, I'm seventeen and I'm just now learning how to drive. Don't judge!) and just hanging out with friends. But I promise, updates will come faster after two weeks!**

**And we have a question from Twilight407501! **

_**Ahhhh are we going to have more romitri scenes? Or just more of rose making dimitri crazy jealous.**_

**A little of both! I just like getting Dimitri jealous, but I promise that there will be Romitri scenes in the future I was to reiterate that this is a DimitrixRose story. It's just going to take a while to get there. Look guys, this is not going to be a story where Rose and Dimitri have one talk and then immediately have hot sex and makeup and are a couple once again. It's going to be more of a slow burn. Rose is going to have trust issues, like any person would if the love of their life suddenly told them that they didn't love them anymore. Dimitri is going to have to work to get his woman back! It's going to be alot of small, cute moments that ultimately lead the two back together. And while I really can't comment on the Ben and Rose relationship, I want to assure you all that Ben will not get hurt by Rose, I couldn't do that to him! I love him too much!**

**Anyway, I'm going to wrap it up now, and leave you with this: There was a Doctor Who reference in this chapter. Whoever can find it will receive an extra special sneak peak of the next chapter!**

**Have a nice day wherever you are! Bye guys!**


	16. Cookies and Conversations

**Hey guys! **

**Well things have begun to settle down, so updates should be more frequent. The next chapter may be a little late because it is going to be HUGE, but it will be a fun one! ;)**

**Also, HOLY CRAP guys! Over 40 reviews for just the last chapter alone! Thank you, thank you, thank you! You guys are the highlights of my online world! I know I've kept you all in suspense for long enough now, so on with the story!**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Abe Mazur**

"So, I heard that our darling bundle of joy kicked your fine little ass today," I smirked into the phone as I walked around my hotel room. I had chosen The Adagio and quite pleased with the service, comfort and décor overall so far. My kiz knew me so well and had good taste to boot.

I was one proud Baba.

"Shut up, Ibrahim," Janine growled back through the phone.

"Just telling it like it is, darling." I grinned.

I could practically see Janine rolling her eyes on the other end of the call.

"Don't you think you're getting at bit too old to be talking like that? And I suppose part of it was my fault. I let my anger get the best of me and it made me sloppy. She was just so flippant about everything-"

"Are you sure you're not bitter about the whole name change?" I grinned as I could hear her huff.

"Will you stop bringing that up! God, there's you always rubbing that in my face, and then there was today's training where my own daughter wouldn't even look at me! But ooh, when Alberta Petrov came up to spar, she was polite and smiley and-"

A knock on my door cut off Janine's little tirade. We were going to need to talk about this soon. All three of us.

"Janine? Sweetheart? There's someone at the door. Talk to you later. Bye, love you." I hung up quickly and made my way toward the door. I frowned, not expecting him to be back so soon.

"Back so soo-Oh hey Kiz…" I grinned, though inwardly I was rather nervous at the look of calm on her face. She was too calm, and that never bode well.

"Hello Old Man," she grinned back, "can I come in? Have a little father-daughter chat?" She pushed her way into my room before I could even respond.

Meanwhile, I shot a look toward the man who had arrived with my daughter. A man who was looking rather apologetic…and was holding a bag of what looked like chocolate chip cookies?

* * *

**Rose Mazur**

I crept down the stairway and peeked around the corner, my dagger gripped tightly in my hand. Just in case.

However, when my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I relaxed when I spotted a large frame that I knew.

He had his back toward me as he attempted to close the window without making a sound, leaving me with a huge advantage.

So of course I took it, and pounced.

Literally.

He grunted as he attempted to shake me off his back, where I was currently attached, spider monkey style.

Using his shoulders as leverage, I push off, pushing him down and flipping myself up into the air.

He was already in a vulnerable position from my push off, but now, I managed to kick him square in the chest with my flip. He crashed to my living room floor, I followed, landing on top of him and grabbing his stake from his front jean pocket. Arranging myself so that I was sitting on, not straddling, him, I flipped the stake up in the air a couple of times before I looked down at his surprised form.

"Hello Pavel," I grinned down at the rather abashed looking Guardian beneath me. "How are you?"

He coughed awkwardly, whether from the current situation or my weight on him, I wasn't sure.

"Fine, Agent Mazur."

"Aww Pavel, no need to get so formal with me." I stood, offering a hand to the man to help him up, and his stake back.

He took it back. "Thank you."

"Mhmm," I replied, wondering into my kitchen and pulling out two mugs from one of the cabinets.

"Well, since you were a good little Guardian and went to all this trouble to stalk me and attempt to break into my apartment," I grinned at the slight flush on his cheeks, "it would be rude of me kick you out right away. Do you like hot chocolate, Pavel?"

Turning to look at him, he looked surprised that I was actually inviting him in for a drink instead of throwing his ass out of my apartment.

"I suppose so."

"Great," I smiled, gesturing for him to take a seat at the island, before returning to the task at hand. Retrieving four packets of instant hot chocolate, I added the powder and the water into the mugs before stirring.

"This is an amazing place," he said, a bit awed.

"Thank you," I nodded.

And I knew it was. My apartment was a source of pride for me. It was my first major purchase; a purchase that I made as an adult, with my own money working five days a week at the Elite and one day a week at Dare, the belly dancing studio I taught at part time.

Elite housing was available for each and every agent, but most had their own apartments or houses. Most of us only stayed in the Elite housing occasionally, like when working overtime. The Elite was amazing like that.

My apartment wasn't luxurious, but it wasn't a rat's nest either. It was nice, spacious and modern; yet it didn't scream 'look at me and all of my riches,' and I liked that.

Getting some chocolate chip cookies, I took a seat across from Pavel at the island.

I passed over his mug and cookie.

He looked at the offering, then looked back at me, then back at the offering before hesitantly reaching for the cookie, like I poisoned it or something, and taking a bite.

Why are people scared of me when I'm trying to be nice? I just don't get it.

We sat in silence for a while, both of us just eating and drinking our snack before Pavel cleared his throat.

"These are really good," he mumbled, gesturing to the cookie.

"Thank you, I baked them myself," I smiled.

He coughed awkwardly again before speaking.

"I am sorry for-"

"Attempting to sneak into my apartment at this hour, no doubt to attempt to collect information about me and my lifestyle at the request of my father? It's fine. " I smirked as I finally got the man to smile. It was a sheepish one, but a smile none the less.

"The old man, how is he?"

"Good," Pavel replied, "he's worried about you, as any father would be seeing his daughter all grown up. He's wondering about your job, friends, living situation…" Pavel trailed off, eyeing me meaningfully.

"He wants to know if his dearest daughter is living a life of sin by letting a member or members of the male species cohabit sleeping quarters with her." I stated simply with a straight face.

"Well yes, basically," Pavel smirked.

I smirked back. Parents these days…

"Well," he started, "are you? Not that I care, it's just that I need something to report back to your father," he added quickly.

I quickly glanced at the clock again and then our nearly empty mugs before making my decision.

"How about we both pay my dear old father a visit? Just let me get changed." I smirked as Pavel gulped a bit.

* * *

"So, how are you finding Caelum so far? The city treating you well so far?"

"It is a beautiful city, but I have not really had the chance to explore it yet. You know, the training and such. And almost everyone has treated me well." He winced at the last part, rubbing his shoulder where I was almost certain there was a bruise.

"I saw your name on Isabelle and Lev's list," I smirked, "Isabelle likes showing her dominance, especially over men. "

"I do wish I would have known that this morning," he muttered as I chuckled, weaving my car in and out of traffic as we headed toward the Adagio.

"This is a nice car," Pavel said wistfully, brushing his hand along the smooth interior.

"Thank you," I grinned, "took about a year and a half to save up for it and some negotiating at the dealership, but I do love it."

He grunted, still preoccupied with admiring the car.

Boys and their toys.

However I could understand Pavel's reaction to my apartment and car. I was the same reaction I had when I first moved in, or the day I left the car dealership in my new car; awed disbelief. I couldn't believe that I could have afforded a nice apartment and car, and not break the bank.

The Guardian salary was incredibly pathetic. It was a fact we all knew, but no one said anything, as usual. It didn't matter that Guardians worked their asses off and risked their lives daily for the Moroi, they were still treated as second class citizens, with mediocre living quarters and minuscule salary and meager benefits. Our lives were the Moroi. If you were a woman and weren't a Guardian, you were a blood whore. If you were a male and you weren't a Guardian, you were a shunned and disgraced pariah. It was become a Guardian or become an outcast. They couldn't pursue their true passions, they couldn't truly live full, independent lives, they couldn't even love who they wanted.

The Dhampir life here was much better. If one didn't want to be a Guardian, or Elite agent, there was no shame in choosing another life path. Those who did choose the Agent or Guardian path had it much better than the Guardians on the Moroi run world. The Elite and Guardians had pretty much the same pay, benefits, and rights. The pay was triple what it was back with the Moroi, enough for a single person to life pretty comfortably. There were benefits, including maternity and paternity leave and annual time off every year. There was a daycare on site. There were more women in the Elite and Guardians here because no one would look down on them if they chose to become a mother. In fact, here, you were considered pretty kick ass if you could manage parenthood and being an Agent or Guardian at the same time.

Neither the Elite of the Guardians had the motto 'They Come First' because simply didn't. There was no monarchy here. More of the Moroi here were much more independent, taking offensive and defensive magic classes, some even taking some combat classes like Christian did. Most simply had a Guardian or Patronus, to preserve tradition; however, the Guardians here weren't stoic statues creeping in the background. Yes, they were alert and sharp when on duty, but they were not their Moroi's shadow. There was no need to be. Strigoi attacks weren't frequent here, and when they did occur, our techniques and technology took care of then in less than a few minutes.

Also, there was no rule saying that Agents or Guardians could not be in a relationship with one another.

I sometimes get asked if I would go back to that world; to Court, the slut shaming, the completely fucked up hierarchy. Sometimes, when I was in a particularly sentimental mood, I'd get remember my friends, St. Vlad's, all my crazy adventures, and almost say yes.

But then I would come back to reality. A reality where I had the most amazing partner, a group of solid friends, a comfortable life full of choices, a kick ass job where I was respected and no one thought I was a slut, and shake myself out of it. Why in the hell would I ever leave all this?

I felt a grin plaster itself on my face, partly because I was feeling particularly sentimental right now and partly because I could see the gold exterior of the Adagio in the distance.

Next to me, Pavel sighed, not looking forward to my father's reaction.

"It'll be okay," I grinned and patted his hand, "if the shit hits the fan, just give him the cookies. Cookies make the best peace offering."

* * *

**Abe Mazur**

"So, Old Man," Rose smiled blandly at me from across the coffee table, "I had the most thrilling night tonight."

"Oh, did you Kiz?" I grinned broadly, eyeing Pavel who stood in the corner with Sergei and Nicholas, my other two Guardians.

"Yes, let me tell you about it," she smirked, flipping her hair and folding her hands on her lap.

"You see, I was just about to get into bed after a long hard day's work, when I heard a creak coming from the window by my fire escape."

Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Sergei and Nicholas ribbing Pavel, who growled in response. Well, Nicholas was ribbing, Sergei had that same stiff Guardian mask that he always had. The man had worked for me for years now and I could count the times I had seen him smile on one hand.

"And when I went down to investigate, and found dear old Pavel in my living room. Old Man, why was your Guardian in my apartment?"

"Why Kiz, can't a father take an interest in his daughter and her life?" I smiled, hoping she wouldn't explode too much. Who was I kidding though? This was my daughter, she had both my temper and Janine's.

Rose let out an airy laugh. "There is absolutely no problem with that Old Man, if you know, it was done in a sane and reasonable way!" Her voice rose quite significantly near the end as the rest of us winced.

I cleared my throat, "But I found this way to be more fun! I thought you would appreciate the thrill of a potential threat! Did you?"

Her icy gaze indicated she did not. Under any other circumstances, I would have been proud with her feistiness, but right now…I was slightly scared of my daughter.

Don't you dare tell anyone I said that.

"No Old Man! I didn't! And I'm sure Pavel didn't either. What were you thinking? He barely knows the city! He could have gotten horribly lost! How did you find me anyway?" She asked turning to Pavel, who was still standing awkwardly in the corner.

"Um, I may have followed you home from the Elite."

Dear God that sounded more stalker-like when said out loud.

Pavel looked ashamed of himself.

Nicholas looked like he was about to laugh.

Sergei, well, he looked like he always did.

Rose turned back to me, eyes blazing.

"Look what you did to poor Pavel! You made him into a stalker just so you could find out if your daughter was shacking up with a guy.!"

"Number one, that girl didn't seem to mind when the boy with a bouffant hair cut stalked her! And number two, are you cohabiting with someone? A male someone?" I eyed her.

She huffed and rolled her eyes. "That was a crappy movie for teens and their lonely, sex deprived mothers!"

"That grossed billions of dollars Kiz!"

"You-that's completely-" she stuttered and it was getting pretty entertaining before she said three chilling words."

"I'm telling mom!"

I felt the blood leave me face. I vaguely heard either Pavel or Nicholas mutter, "shit."

"Please don't," Nicholas piped up from the corner of the room.

"Seriously, we cannot protect him from that," Pavel added.

Rose looked amused, "You guys are scared of my mom?"

"They are, I, of course, am not." I grinned at Kiz.

She snorted, quite unlady-like, along with Pavel and Nicholas.

"Of course you are, every man should be at least slightly afraid of his lady, that's the basis of a healthy relationship," she grinned before continuing, "speaking of relationships, let's talk about yours and mom's."

"Really, that's what you want to talk about?" Out of all the things…

"Well, not right this second. How about dinner sometime this week? I'll give you my number," she reached out, wiggling her fingers for my phone, which I quickly gave her.

My daughter is giving me her phone number. My twenty three year old daughter was just now giving me her phone number. There is so much wrong with that.

She quickly typed in her phone number and handed it back to me.

"Talk to mom and then get back to me." She stood to leave. "I'm going to head back. I have work in about six hours.

Turning to my Guardians, she said, "Pavel, I'll track down your stealth instructors and tell them about well you did, you know, before I caught you. Nicholas, see you in training tomorrow. Sergei, I like the bitchy resting face, it'll keep the wrinkles at bay." Rose winked as the rest of us chuckled.

"Oh and Old Man? I am cohabiting with someone, a very, very special someone" she grinned as I narrowed my eyes, trying to decipher which of the men in her circle it could be.

"His name is Netflix. And I love him. He's loyal, he's dependable, he's always recommending good things to me, and he all he only ever asks for $8 every month. God," she paused to sigh dreamily, "he's such a giver."

"Kiz, don't play with your old man," I signed in relief as she joined in laughing with Pavel and Nicholas.

"Good night Old Man," she called out as she left.

"Well, that went better than expected," I nodded.

"Sorry about that Boss," Pavel started to apologize, but I stopped him.

"No need for that, I should have known it wouldn't have worked. One question though? Why do you have a bag of cookies?" I raised an eyebrow.

Pavel shrugged in response. "She gave them to me. They're actually really good. Homemade too. I don't think they're poisoned."

I took the cookie he offered and bit into it, letting the chocolate flavor melt and mingle in my mouth. Damn, this was good.

My Kiz could take down my very own Guardian and bake a damn good cookie.

Yes, I was one proud Baba.

* * *

**Dimitri Belikov**

_**Two Days Later**_

"Hey Pavel. Thanks for Monday night. I had a great time." The voice of Roza teasingly rang out.

Wait a second, Monday night? What?

I turned from my position in the lunch line to see what was happening.

Roza was surprisingly alone for once. Every time I had seen her this week she had Noble by her side at all times. The two were apparently inseparable. A couple minutes ago, Noble had entered the Elite dining hall for dinner alone and several people turned, did a double take, and asked him where Rose was. Others teasingly told him that he did not look as good without his other half, as if they were married partners and not work partners, though the way they acted around each other, one would think they were actually…involved.

Roza was walking past a table containing three of Abe Mazur's Guardians. The one she referred to, Pavel, flushed, his cheeks turning the lightest shade of pink as one of the other Guardians, Nicholas I believe, laughed heartily.

Roza grinned and headed toward the line to get her food. Scratched that, she was headed toward the line I was currently in.

She hesitated only slightly when she spotted me, before getting in line behind me.

"Rose."

I couldn't help it, I couldn't not acknowledge her presence, especially when this was the closest she had been to me outside of training.

"Dimitri." She nodded, and even shot me a little smile.

God, it was pathetic how much that little gesture excited me.

"I talked to Ben," she continued, "he says you're on your way to the top of his group. Though really, I would expect no less from the great Guardian Belikov."

"Thank you Roz-Rose. Though I am rather disappointed that I didn't end up in your group," I replied, narrowing my eyes slightly.

She shrugged nonchalantly, a slight smirk gracing her flawless features.

Today during Basic Specialized Combat, they took it easy on us. We were told to pair up and spar with one another while Roza and Noble observed. We had been divided into two groups among Roza and Noble. They divided up according to last names, alternating in the first letter. So, Roza had ended up with the people whose names began with A, C, E, and so on. Noble ended up with B, D, F, and so on. They claimed that this was a fair method.

A method that conveniently gave Rose Castile while Noble ended up with Guardian Hathaway and I in his group.

"It would have been like old times," I continued as I shuffled forward, grabbing a plate and a piece of lamb from the buffet."

"Really?" Roza cutely as she pick a heaping portion of mashed potatoes on her plate.

"Yes, you and me, in the gym once again-" I was cut off.

"From my memory, you and I in a gym together usually led to trouble. Don't you remember?" She said cutely. I attempted to hold back a laugh when I notice her trying to raise an eyebrow, only she still couldn't fully do it, her brow only managing to twitch a bit.

Such a cute reaction.

And remember I did. I remember how her body felt when one of us managed to pin the other.I remember the carefully orchestrated moments so that our flesh would "accidentally" touch. I remember when I finally couldn't take it anymore…all those heated, stolen kisses…

"But my how the tables have turned. I'm like the mentor now, and you're the student." She let out a soft laugh. "Bet'cha never thought that would happen."

"I always knew you would go on to do great things Roza. With your passion and drive, I'm not surprised at all you have accomplished." I replied honestly, internally cheering when she didn't correct me on her name.

"Why thank you," she grinned demurely at me, "I had a great mentor who kicked my ass into shape to partially thank for that."

She turned to fully face me, and shot her signature Rose Hathaway smile.

This was the first real smile she had given me since she come barreling back into my life those two weeks ago.

I smiled back at her, and before my eyes her cocky grin melted into something…softer, but it still had the same effect on me, mesmerizing me with her loveliness. And for a second, it seemed as if we were back at the academy, in our gym, just being Roza and Dimitri…

However our moment was cut short when we came to the end of the buffet line.

Roza picked up her exceedingly full plate and cleared her throat.

"See you later Dimitri," she nodded, before turning and walking to the table that held her group, half of which who were openly staring at us, and the other half who were pretending not to.

She slid into the open seat next to Ben Noble, scooting herself toward him so that they sat much more closely than was needed.

Sighing, I picked up my plate and –

"Belikov!" A voice boomed out.

It was Pavel. And he was currently gesturing for me to come sit with him at his table.

_Why not? The man seems nice enough…_

I thought as I made my way to their table.

Setting down my plate I introduced myself and Pavel, Nicholas, and Sergei introduced themselves.

Immediately after that, Pavel leaned toward me, his voice lowering.

"I was at her apartment two nights ago-no, no, nothing like that," he hastily added as he took in my clenched fist, "I was just there at the request of her father. You know, he just needed to see hoe his daughter was living."

I nodded, "And?"

"She was a nice place. I only saw the first floor, but it was very nice, open, modern. But never mind that. Here is the important thing," he leaned in closer, "I saw no evidence of a male's presence in her apartment."

I tried to act like it was nothing, "So? What she does-"

"Oh cut the crap Belikov, we know." Nicholas butted in, "I don't know how others haven't figured it out yet. The way you look at her…" He grinned wolfishly.

"This is why I'm telling you this. There's a really good chance that you can fix this. And you better Belikov." Pavel warned, "A woman like Rose Mazur does not come along very often. You better no screw this up. Or we cannot save you from the wrath of our boss."

"I assure you I have no intentions on making the same mistakes again. I never want to hurt Roza again. And if I'm so lucky that she'll give me another chance, I'll make sure that she knows that." I said powerfully.

"Good man," Nicholas nodded, slapping my back.

"Good luck, you're going to need it," Pavel smirked, gesturing toward Roza's table, where she and Noble were laughing and throwing pieces of balled up bread in each other's mouths.

Yes, yes it would. However, Roza would be worth it in the end.

* * *

**Have I mentioned how much I love Abe? Haha, I think he's epic and love the wacky father-daughter relationship he and Rose have.**

**So this chapter just sets up several events in the upcoming chapters. The next chapter is going to be a big one, so please bear with me! Other than that, please review and tell me your thoughts.**

**I know this Romitri moment wasn't very deep, or long, but remember guys, it's the small moments that we're going for. I promise, in the future chapters, we'll have more Romitri moments with them talking about their issues. As always, thank you for checking out this story, and I hope you have a good one wherever you are!**

**xoxo**


	17. The First Dinner

**I know, I know, I'm late. I really have no excuse besides l****aziness and the fact that I w****ent on a roadtrip with the fam and I couldn't bring my laptop.**

**I hope the length of this chapter will make up for wait! I was rushing to get this up, so any grammar or spelling mistakes are all mine and I will totally fix them later on.**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Rose Mazur**

"This," I grinned as I heard the wonderful sound of Ben unsheathing his dagger, "is a dagger."

"Now we know that daggers cannot kill a Strigoi," I started.

"But it can aid you in your attempts to kill one," Ben finished.

"For example, you can do this." I unsheathed my own daggers, the five that I was currently carrying around, turned toward one of the dummies lined up along the side of the gym, and threw each one in quick succession.

That wondrous thwap sound happened as each dagger hit its mark; two in the shoulder, two in the wrists, and one right in the pelvic area, sending the dummy back into the wall.

"Our daggers are made from pure silver, so they will do some damage." Ben explained.

"Now, with that," I nodded toward the dummy, "what you want to do is have your partner position themselves closer to the target, so they'll be ready to do the staking."

"Any questions?" We asked.

It was the first day of Weaponry with Blades, and judging by the reaction we were getting from the rest of the group, we were getting off to a good start. Most of them, including my mom and Dimitri, were still awed by my demonstration, their eyes locked on the dummy and the gleaming handles of the daggers.

From his place next to Dimitri, Eddie shot me a large grin that said, "Holy shit, that was epic."

One of the Guardians in the group raised his hand.

"Yes?" Ben nodded in his direction.

"So do most of the training tactics you guys are going to teach us involve two people?"

"Well, we're in a partnership-" Ben started.

"Bro-ho-mance," I whispered low enough so that only Ben could hear.

"So yes," he covered a laugh with a cough, "about sixty percent of the tactics we come up with involve two people."

"And what if we don't have a partner?" Another Guardian asked.

"Well then I guess…you're screwed," I deadpanned.

Ben nodded solemnly. "Not just in missions, but in life as well."

I nodded back at him with what I hoped was an equal amount of solemnness.

"Partnerships are what make life worth living. It gives you a reason to get your ass out of bed in the morning and put on pants when you know you have a special someone just waiting to go out on suicide missions with you. My life became meaningful and rich and fulfilling the day I met this one," I sighed dreamily, batting my eyelashes at Ben and pinching his side as he reached out and pulled me closer, slinging an arm around me, which I returned.

"So, I guess what we're saying is…your lives will never be as filled with whimsy and wonder as ours are," Ben finished, the two of us grinned at one another before turning back to our stunned group.

They all gaped at us, looking a lot like brainwashed fish.

Well, almost all of them.

Eddie managed to hold his laughter in for a whole minute before he couldn't take it anymore and busted out laughing, his raucous laughter bouncing off the gym walls. Soon, Ben and I couldn't take it anymore and joined him.

The rest of the group was looking between Ben and I and Eddie so fast I was afraid they'd lose their heads.

"We're just kidding," Ben coughed out after his laughter was reduced down to chuckles.

"Kinda…" I added song singingly, with a little shrug.

Suddenly, I felt two fingers prod at my side, pinching me, courtesy of the cheeky bastard right next to me. Embarrassingly, I let out a small squeal, which, though small, echoed throughout the gym.

Damn acoustics.

As I rubbed my side, Ben shot me a look that said, "Behave."

In return, I shot him a look that said, "But that's no fun!"

From in front of us, one of the Guardians awkwardly coughed.

And by one of the Guardians, I mean a certain Russian.

Turning our attention back to the group, we were met with a variety of reactions.

My mom looked on disapprovingly between Ben and I, her eyes scanning and calculating.

Dimitri had slammed his Guardian mask back on, his face smooth and impassive as he stared hard at a spot behind Ben and I.

The rest of the Guardians shifted around uncomfortably, some staring at us, some at various areas in the gym. Well except Eddie. He was smirking, his eyes going back and forth from Dimitri to me and Ben.

"Well, time to start!" I cheered, clapping my hands to break everyone out of the awkward haze that had taken over.

The group automatically split into our assigned groups. My group, which included Eddie, followed me to one side of the gym where a line of targets were lined up. Ben's group followed him, though my mom and Dimitri didn't look too happy to be with him, to the other side of the gym where more targets were set up.

"Okay, today we're going to practice knife throwing. It's the first thing everyone must know and master before they can even think about touching a dagger." Ben said sternly.

"Has anyone ever thrown a knife before?" I called out.

A few hands went up, not surprisingly, Dimitri's. What was surprising was that Eddie's hand went up as well. I shot him a look. He was going to explain that later on.

"Good," Ben nodded approvingly.

"So, time to show us what you got!" I smirked as the knives were brought out.

_Thwap._

_Thwap._

_Thwap._

_Ping._

I winced as I heard the sound of metal hitting metal. I watched as a knife missed the target completely and ended up bouncing off the back wall of the targets.

"Remember to keep your body straight. It's okay to angle the knife, but keep your actual body and hand stiff. Try not to pivot too much." I said as I approached the Guardian who had missed the target.

His eyes widened as I spoke before he began to nod vehemently.

"Of course Agent Mazur. Thank you," he stuttered out, eyes wide.

I blinked.

"You're welcome. And it's Rose."

"Right, you said that earlier. Sorry." He stuttered out again.

Okay?

"It's no problem. You're just learning, it's fine." I nodded toward the guy before heading down the line.

Some were grasping the knife throwing really well. Some still needed a little work, or a lot of work, but I had confidence that they would be almost as good as Ben and I by the end.

Hopefully.

_Thwap._

I felt the smile on my face grow as I approached the end of the line, seeing how well the Guardian there was doing.

"Good job Guardian Castile."

Eddie turned toward me; his face arranged into the shocked, eager puppy look that most of his fellow Guardians had on their faces whenever I talked to them.

"Thanks so much oh great Agent Mazur. I mean the- the fact that I have your approval means that I can now die happy. Thank you, thank you, thank you!" He gushed as I laughed.

"I mean, I mean, you're you and-" his hand brushed my shoulder in his faux excitement and he let out a huge gasp, "Oh my god! I touched you! I'm so so sorry I ruined your perfect shoulder with my shitty hands-holy shit!" He cried out, grabbing his arm in the spot where I punched it.

"Shut up you idiot!" I stage whispered as some of the Guardians near Eddie turned to stare at us, "Don't be rude. It's not their fault they're star-struck by my mere presence."

He snickered shamelessly.

"Star-struck, turned on…whatever floats your boat."

I groaned. "I thought they were over that by now."

"_So…every Guardian between the ages of twenty and forty is very excited," Eddie grinned at me from across the table._

"_Good, we need all the cooperation from them we can get if we want to get you guys as ready as you can be by the end," Josh said before shoving a large bite of garlic bread into his mouth._

_We had all gathered at La Ciccia for a good old reunion dinner._

_Everyone, I mean everyone was here; all ten members from my team plus Christian, Eddie, Adrian, and Sydney. Also, Ana, Artur's girlfriend, and Chuck, Leigha's boyfriend, tagged along. Well, my team, Ana, Chuck, Christian, and Eddie were here. Adrian and Sydney got held up in traffic because Sydney had wanted to spend a little extra time at the Caelum's architecture museum, causing them to get caught up in Caelum's infamous rush hour traffic._

_Yep. Adrian Ivashkov spent his day walking about a museum. One about architecture at that. _

_The shit you do for love._

"_Yeah, we need them to be as open and receptive to us as possible," Dianna agreed._

"_Yeah, that wasn't what I meant," Eddie smirked._

_We all turned to him questioningly._

"_So…what else are they excited about?" Leigha asked._

_I took a sip of my water while waiting for Eddie's answer._

"_They're excited about seeing a certain former Guardian, who, and I quote, "just got more smokin' hot with age." Eddie grinned devilishly, nodded toward me._

_And then I promptly spit out said sip of water._

_Ben laughed heartily, but none-the-less rubbed my back comfortingly while I coughed like an idiot. _

"_Whoo Hoo! Go Rose!" Leigha cheered. _

"_Well, well, well, it seems that those Guardians think that little Rose Hathaway is all grown up now," Lev wagged his eyebrows provocatively._

"_Cheers to Rose finally getting some!" Isabelle smirked, lifting her glass._

"_Amen to th-Jesus Christ woman!" Josh grumbled as he rubbed the place on his shin where I kicked him._

"_Um, no," I shook my head, "just ew. No no no no no no."_

"_Aww, Rose! Why?" Isabella pouted._

"_Because I have something called standards Isabelle!"_

"_Are you sure? Because you did date _that_," Christian smirked as Adrian and Sydney came into view, finally showing up._

"_Yeah," I grimaced as they took their seats, "I was obviously in the middle of a personal crisis when I made that decision."_

_Adrian frowned. "That hurts Little Dhampir."_

"_What are we talking about?" Sydney frowned._

"_How every Guardian between the ages twenty and forty wants to get into Rose's pants!" Denis laughed._

"_Nice work Little Dhampir, nice." Adrian had the nerve to laugh._

_I shuddered, "Again, I have standards. Questionable judgment, yes; but I still have standards."_

"_What's that supposed to mean?" Adrian looked indignant as Sydney rolled her eyes at her boyfriend._

"_That's good, Rose. Keep remembering that for the inevitable moments when one of those vermin come and try to hit on you!" Jay nodded, ignoring Adrian's outburst and, going into major 'Scary Big Brother' mode._

"_You're no fun," Isabelle sighed._

"_Guys, I think we're forgetting the most important thing here!" Eddie spoke up._

"_And what's that?" Josh grinned devilishly._

"_How long will it take for the big Russian caveman to lose his cool when he hears all his colleagues going on and on about how "smokin'" Hathaway got and how they're going win her over." Eddie grinned, pleased with himself._

"_Ah, didn't think about that man. Props," Josh nodded. _

"_I give it two weeks."_

"_No, no, no. Cradle Robber's got more control than that. I give it at least a month." Adrian nodded confidently._

"_This is Rose we're talking about. When it comes to the male species and the female they covet, control goes out the proverbial window," Sydney rolled her eyes, "I give it three weeks max."_

"_Sydney!" I shrieked as she shrugged cutely._

_Lev grinned and smacked the table. "You girl," he said, pointing at Sydney, "are the shit!"_

"_Well I give it at least two months! Rose is going to everything in her power to avoid those idiots," said Dianna._

"_True, true, but remember, the male species are a rather pig-headed species-"_

"_I resent that!"_

"_Let's put our money where our mouths are!"_

_I groaned helplessly, dropping my head to the table as they all started betting._

"_Fifty on a month!" Ben called out._

_My head shot up. Seriously?_

"_Et tu, Noble?"_

_He grinned, no shame at all, patting my thigh as if to say, 'it's going to be alright.'_

_Yeah right._

"Nah. In fact, it's gotten worse. Apparently every time you kick their ass or show some new move, they just fall even more for you," Eddie sighed, putting his hands to his chest dramatically and swooning.

"Shut up."

"I would be flattered if I were you."

"You're not pretty enough to be me."

"But the best part of all of this," Eddie continued, ignoring my last comment, "is Belikov's reaction. He's keeping it together so far, but it's seriously a shame he hasn't lost it yet. It would be more fun that way."

"Dimitri won't lose it. That's not part of the Great Dimitri Belikov persona." I sniffed.

"Are you sure? Just look over there." Eddie nodded toward the other side of the gym.

Turning, I caught a glimpse of what Eddie was talking about.

Ben was walking up and down the line, checking his group members, much like I was earlier. Eddie and I watched as he stood behind Dimitri, observing his knife throwing skills, which were, of course, great.

After his throw, Dimitri turned around to face Ben. Ben said something to him, a devious grin growing on his face. Suddenly, they both turned toward me. Ben blew me a kiss, and against my better judgment, I caught it and pretended to put it in my bra. He laughed while Dimitri's knuckles turned white from how hard he was clenching his fists. Ben said something again, and then clapped Dimitri on the back before walking away.

Dimitri stared after Ben for a couple seconds. His eyes got really hard, his posture extra stiff, his fists, shaking uncontrollably.

And then he turned back to the target and threw, no, blasted the knife toward the dummy target. It hit the target square in between the eyes and even shoved the dummy back a few feet.

"It won't be long now!" Eddie smirked gleefully, "The cracks, those glorious cracks, are appearing!"

"You need to lay off the caffeine," I frowned, "now get back to work."

"Yes Agent Hathaway! Right away Agent Hathaway!" Eddie mock saluted.

* * *

"What did you say to him?" I rounded on Ben as soon as our group left

"Why Love, whatever do you mean?" Ben grinned, trying to look as innocent as possible, which would have been funny if it weren't for the fact that I was kinda pissed right now.

"You know what I mean Ben! What did you tell Dimitri?"

"Well…

"_Good job Belikov," Ben nodded toward the myriad of knives embedded in the dummy._

"_Thank you, Agent Noble," Dimitri returned the nod stiffly._

"_You know, Love-I mean Rose- was a natural as well." Ben turned toward Rose, who was conveniently already watching the two men's little interaction. He blew her a kiss, which she pretended to catch and them tuck into her shirt, patting the spot lovingly. Beside Ben, Dimitri's entire posture changed as he took in the two's little interaction. _

_Ben chuckled, pretending not to notice the man's reaction._

"_Yeah, that's Love. Quite a feisty one there, I do love that about her." Ben purposefully made his voice all dreamy._

"_Well Belikov, I'll let you get back to it." Ben slapped the man on the back and walked away, grinning as he heard the slam of the dummy meeting the wall._

I stared at my partner wide eyed as he finished his little explanation.

I was going to kill him.

"Why? Why would you do that!? You idiot!"

"I'm guessing you won't take 'because I thought it would be funny' as an answer?"

"You dumbass." I shook my head as we arrived at Team Eight's loft and entered.

"What'd he do?" Isabelle asked lazily.

Ben told the gang what he did, and was met with great praise and hysteria.

My friends suck.

"You know, you didn't need to catch my kiss," Ben smirked as I ignored him.

"Or shove it into your bra," he elbowed me playfully.

Damn. I could never stay mad at the man.

"But that's where I keep the things most precious to my heart," I said all wide-eyed and innocent.

Ben laughed again, wrapping an arm around me, a gesture that said, 'nice to see I'm forgiven.'

A ping stopped our little moment. Looking down at my phone, I saw that I had gotten a text.

_A little birdie told me you can't make it tonight. You know, this is the first Opening Day game you've missed since we met?  
-A_

With a heavy sigh I texted back. I was really disappointed I couldn't go, but tonight was the night I would be having dinner with…my parents. Yes, parents, as in plural.

_I'm having dinner with the parents. Trust me, I'd rather be at the park with everyone else.  
-R_

_Dinner with the parents huh? You know, after twenty three years ,it's about damn time!  
-A_

_I know right?! I'll text you after the game okay? But if I don't, I'll be at the hospital, getting treated for whatever bodily harm my mother caused me.  
-R_

_Haha. I doubt that will happen. Well, have fun at the dinner. Don't cause a fight or a scene. Good luck.  
-A_

_Break a leg tonight! A get a hit for me? Love you!  
-R_

_I love you too.  
-A_

* * *

"What would you like to drink tonight Miss?" The polite young waitress asks, breaking me out of my trance.

"Just three waters please," I said as she nodded then walked off.

I glanced down at the text I just gotten. It was a group shot of the gang at the baseball game, grinning into the camera with their jerseys on and their food on their laps. Mmm, ballpark food. Damn those garlic fries on Eddie's lap looked pretty damn good right now.

I turned my gaze toward the bar area, where I could just see the game being broadcasted. It was the bottom of the third inning now and he was just getting into the batter's box. I always loved going to the park; the fresh air, the game, the team, the food, and of course just being around the devoted fans and the friendly park staff…

"Kiz!"

I turned toward the sound of my dad's voice.

Only to be practically blinded by the Old Man's suit.

The suit jacket and pants were a simple dark grey color, but the vest, shirts and pocket hankie were what were blinding me.

They were all a duo chrome color, meaning the color changed slightly depending on the light. It went from a freaking shiny navy, to an obnoxiously shiny emerald green, to a blindingly shiny grey.

This was going to be an interesting dinner.

"Old Man, mom." I got up to greet them.

"Rose," my mom gave me a slightly awkward and stiff hug before immediately taking a seat.

My dad was of course in the ridiculous duo chrome suit. My mom in a pair of black dress slacks and a navy sweater.

Black and day these two were.

The waitress appeared again right at that moment, setting down the three waters before giving us some time to look over the menu.

"They're famous for their roasted meats here," I informed the Old Man and mom.

"Hmm, I see. What do you recommend Kiz?" Old Man's eyes scanned the menu.

"For you? The leg of lamb all the way. For mom, the roasted half chicken. It's seasoned with rosemary." I grinned.

The Old Man snorted. "Quite egotistical of you Kiz."

"Well, I do try my best," I grinned.

At this point, the waitress returned to ask if we would like some wine.

"A bottle of your best red please." The Old Man interjected.

The waitress nodded solemnly, "Right away sir."

"You don't have to do that," I said. Though I didn't really mean it.

"Of course I do! A bottle of red is supposed to be for celebration! And what better celebration than having the whole family back together for a nice dinner?" Abe smiled, looking between mom and I.

"Hmm, the whole family huh?" I muttered.

"What was that Kiz?"

"Nothing, nothing. And you're right Old Man. We're having a family dinner, after twenty three long years. This is a momentous occasion." I smiled back at him.

From beside Abe, mom let out a little snort. "Was that sarcasm Rosemarie?"

I blinked.

"No mom. I really meant that. I'm really glad we're back together, having dinner together. I-I've missed you guys."

"Do you really mean that Kiz?" Abe, for the first time, didn't look smug or confident. He looked worried and, dare I say it?

_Fatherly_.

"Well yeah." I started out slowly, "Of course, I mean you guys are my parents, no matter how many jokes I make about our dysfunctional family you, guys are still my parents. And I missed you guys." I ended with conviction.

Abe and I smiled at each other. My mom on the other hand was silent.

The waitress returned with the wine and to take our orders.

I got the New York strip, medium-rare, with sweet potato fries and mashed cauliflower. Abe got the leg of lamb with creamed spinach. Mom ordered the half chicken with sautéed broccoli and a side salad. The waitress had just left when mom spoke up.

"Oh really then Rose? You missed us?" She hissed while I stayed silent, waiting for her to get it all out.

"Five years Rose! Five years without any definitive contact! You just up and left Court! You left no note! You never called! How could we have been sure you were okay? And don't you dare say your 'awesome ninja skills' would have protected you Rose! I don't know where you get off thinking that it's okay to just up and leave whenever you feel like it! Did you even stop to think about how it would affect everyone else? How much time and effort we all put into looking for you? Though you probably were aware of that, considering you had Castile and Ivashkov in the loop! Out of all the people Rose! Those two? Why those two? And did you ever stop and think about how it would affect the people you left behind? You left the Princess! You left your friends! You left-you left…us."

Bingo.

Mom finished her little tirade, breathing hard, her cheeks almost as red as her curls.

We, all I can say is…thank God for the loud atmosphere of this restaurant.

"Well, what do you want me to say mom? That I'm sorry? That I should have never left? Because I am sorry I left without telling you guys. I'm not sorry for leaving. Living a Court, it was poison to my system, I had to get out. So no, I don't regret leaving, that was the best decision I ever made in my life. What I-what I do regret," I said, swallowing the lump that has risen in my throat, "was you guys. I regret not telling you guys. I regret not saying goodbye. I regret not being there to reassure you guys that I was okay. I regret how much money and time and effort and love you guys put into trying to find me. I regret how I was too much of a coward to actually visit you guys, so I sent gifts instead. I regret sending you guys those gifts because-because I know that a few material items don't prove anything or reassure you guys in anyway shape or form in the long run of my well-being. I regret how I've acted with you guys because you're my parents and you guys mean so much to me. I know we don't have the most conventional family dynamic, but I wouldn't have it any other way because that's what makes us…us."

The two of them stared at me, stunned. I think they didn't expect for me to own up to my mistakes like I don't know, an actual grown up?

The mask finally broke. Tears came to my mom's eyes, though, of course, they didn't fall.

"I was just so worried," she mumbled. "I thought that you had left because…because of us. I mean we were just beginning to reconnect, build a relationship you know. I was so scared that-"

"I didn't want to reconnect? I left to get away from you guys?"

"Well…yes. I mean it sounds so silly now. I mean seeing Caelum, seeing your life; I understand why you stayed here."

"Fears are never silly mom. And you're a mom, you're supposed to over react, pretty sure it's part of the job description in fact," I grinned as Abe laughed.

"Look," I continued, "bottom line is…you're my parents. And I know we're not the most conventional family, but that's what I love about us. And I did miss you guys. I missed you guys so much."

"You're our daughter. And the bottom line for us is, and always will be, you're our daughter." Abe reached across the table and grabbed my hand, mom doing the same.

"Yeah, about that," I said casually, taking a sip of my wine, "I'm all about the whole being able to love who you want and screwing what the rest of society thinks, so I'm really happy for you two, truly-"

"Oh Rose, we're not-" Mom began stuttering.

"Spare me the crap mother, I see the way you two look at each other. Plus, you two have been holding hands beneath the table this entire time, like a pair of shy teenagers, how sweet!" I mocked, grinning as mom ripped her hand from Abe's. "Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah! I'm really happy you two found your way back to each other, truly, someone in this family should have a normal love life, but I want you guys to remember that, you're old, and I'm older now. In fact, too old to be a big sister, you get what I'm saying?"

"Rose!" Mom scolded while Abe laughed heartily.

"And there she is! There's the Rose Hathaway wit we've missed so much!"

"Glad to see that, Old Man, really." I grinned, taking another sip of wine.

Suddenly, an eruption of cheers came from the bar area. Leaning a bit so I could see the TV better, I saw the source of the commotion almost immediately.

Our home baseball team had scored the first run on an RBI double hit by my personal favorite player, the catcher, making the score 2-0.

"I have an idea." Tearing my eyes away from the TV, I turned my attention back on my parents.

"Oh God help us," the Old Man muttered.

"No, no, nothing stupid or violent. I just want to have another little family get together," I smiled as my parents perked up, "I'm busy this weekend, but how about the next? What would you say to absorbing some Caelum culture? Catching a baseball game?"

"Baseball? I didn't know you were a fan Kiz." Abe raised a thick eyebrow.

"People change Old Man. Come on, it'll be fun! I have season tickets, seats a few rows back above the home team's dugout."

"Well, I don't see why not. That sounds great," Mom smiled while Abe shrugged in compliance.

"Great! We'll deal with the details next week, closer to game day. You guys will never forget it. I promise." I grinned.

Just then, the waitress returned with our food. About damn time too, all this emotional talk got me hungry.

"To family," Abe raised his glass.

"To family," Mom and I echoed.

* * *

**Aww, that was nice! They're on their way to repairing their relationship. **

**Hmm, why does Rose have a sudden interest in baseball? Who is this mysterious A? What do you think of the bet? Rose and Ben?**

**Hint: A is NOT Adrian.**

**Answers shall be revealed in the upcoming chapters, don't worry!**

**So, I got some requests for the group dinner scene that was mentioned back a few chapters ago, and I totally meant to make that a whole scene with more Sydrian action, but time and length got away from me and I had to cut that. I hope this little flashback is good enough.**

**Also, I need your guys' help! I have a challenge for you guys!**

**I need you guys to help me come up with a ship name for Rose and Ben! Something creative, please. You'll see why I need it in the upcoming chapters! Leave me your ideas in a review please! Thank you guys in advance! Have fun!**

**Other than that, tell me your thoughts! I love hearing from you guys and as always, have a great day wherever you may be!**


	18. Mirrors

**First things first...WE'VE REACHED OVER 400 REVIEWS GUYS! That's just awesome and I have no one to thank but you guys! I love each and every one of you guys who take the time to read this story and THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! I think this accomplishment deserves an award, am I right? Haha, so leave a review for this chapter, and you'll get a nice sneak preview of the next chapter!**

**Secondly...Hey guys! I'm back with a new chapter, and to be honest...I'm not in love with this mostly because...well...**

**You guys remember that dance scene from chapter two?**

**Yeah, well it was NOT fun to write out when you have little to no experience with writing a dance scene. So...I'd just like to say that I tried my best.**

**Hope all you Ben lovers enjoy this. ;)**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

Dimitri Belikov

Beep. Beep. Beep.

The alarm clock woke me up right at seven, much later than our usual five o'clock wake up time.

It was Saturday, meaning the beginning of two days off.

I got ready for the day, doing the usual; washing, brushing, shaving, and of course dressing. I then went down to the Guardian Dining Hall for breakfast, taking a seat with Pavel, Nicholas, and Sergei.

"Belikov!" Nicholas, clapped in my in a friendly gesture, "How're you feeling?"

"Good," I replied simply.

"I never thought I'd be so happy to see a day off," Pavel muttered, biting into his toast.

"Me too," I said, surprising everyone, including myself.

I was known for my willingness to work. I was always prompt, always professional, and always ready. I had no qualms taking on extra shifts. However, it was the opposite here. I haven't been worked this hard in a long while. Most of the time back at Court, I was put on patrols, which was a lot of standing guard. It took a lot of mental power to stay alert, but it was not that taxing physically, even though I did do a day work out and a night work out daily. Here, though, we had training, actual physical training for twelve hours. And there was also the mental component; having to remember all that we were being taught, and taking in all the new material from the lecture classes as well. We were pushed to our mental and physical capacities twelve hours a day, five days a week. Plus, for me, there was the issue of Roza. Sure, for the past five years she had always been on my mind, but now she was here, whole and in the flesh, and my mind was going crazy trying to get me to remember that fact. My emotions all over the place as well, and the idiots who were currently mooning over Roza were definitely not helping.

"Dude, Hathaway grew up. And grew up nice."

"Dude, Hathaway's here, and she's legal now!"

"I'd like to have some private training with her if you know what I mean."

"What'd I give to have her, ahem, help me work on some…moves."

"Do you notice how she likes to body slam while sparring? Gotta love a girl who likes being on top."

We had only been here a little over a week, but that was enough for my fellow Guardians to take notice of Roza. Day in and day out it was "Hathaway this," and "Hathaway that," and "Dude, I'd love a piece of that," and "Do you think she'll notice if I…"

Quite frankly, I'm rather surprised one she hasn't told one of them off yet.

I'm trying to keep a level head. I refuse to act like a complete caveman, that would do nothing to get Roza back. I also refuse to act like my peers because I believe in my Roza. I believe that she won't fall for their so called "charms," no Roza is too smart for that. The way Roza and I fell in love back at the Academy was gradually, and that is how I plan to get my woman back this time. It certainly wasn't love at first sight for us, but all those gym sessions helped us develop our love. I know I hurt her horribly, but I have no doubt that with a little patience and determination, Roza and I can work through our differences. Though, it would help if I could get her alone and get her to actually talk to me. As in, an actual conversation, not just a simple comment during training.

"So boys, where we headed today?" Nicholas broke me out of my thoughts.

"I thought we would explore the city since we've only really been able to see the Elite and Guardian grounds so far." He produced a map from his pocket. "According to this, the Elite and Guardian headquarters sit right between the theatre district and downtown. Downtown's a ten minute walk from here and it is the center of the city so we should go check it out, the business district is on our other side, nothing to see there unless you want to go stare at the suits and architecture, there's the ferry building in the Marina, but that's a twenty minute ride by subway, and then there's the overload of little ethnic areas. There's Chinatown, Japantown, Koreatown, Little Istanbul, the French Quarter, Little Italy, just to name a few but I think we can all agree that there's one we have to check out…" His eyes scanned the map before landing on the spot. "Little Russia."

"We have to check out?" Nicholas raised an eyebrow, "Excuse me, I'm not Russian."

"Yes but the three of us are and three beats one, so we're going there."

"We didn't even vote on this!"

"Fine," Pavel rolled his eyes, "Belikov?"

"Don't you guys have to get back to Mazur?" I asked.

Pavel waved it off, "He officially put us all on an on-call basis, so we're good."

"Why not then?" I shrugged. It would most likely be full of tourist traps and bastardized Russian culture, but it would be something to do.

"Sergei?" Pavel asked.

The man made some non-committal sound, his eyes never leaving the newspaper he was reading.

"See? Three against one, let's do this."

"Woah," Nicholas breathed out as he took in the sight.

Woah was correct.

We had just arrived at Little Russia after exploring downtown, which there wasn't much to explore. There was the Great Park, that was nice, but after that, it was simply full of shopping and restaurants. Considering none of us were hungry or had the urge to shop, we quickly moved on. We visited the City Hall, which was a great white and gold ornate building, home of the Caelum High Council and apparently a popular wedding photo destination as we saw at least three couples getting their pictures taken.

We had then decided to visit Little Russia for lunch, not expecting much more than bastardized versions of our beloved favorites.

We were wrong.

Yes, there were tourists here, but they were mostly here to visit the great cathedral. It was truly a recreation of the ones back home; large, stately, and in a myriad of colors. There were only a few souvenir shops littered around, but the rest was taken by little shops and restaurants, bistros, cafes, which were all emitting intoxicating aromas into the air. Everywhere we looked, we saw buildings full of people buying food. Kvas venders were on every street corner, busily handing out mugs full of the fermented beverage. Another cart was selling out morozhenoe to the little children. A bakery had its windows full of vatrushka, pastila, chak-chak, smokva, kolbaska, kartoshka , and much much more, all of it floating toward my nostrils and reminding me of Christmas and my mother scurrying about in the kitchen. However, the thing that brought the feeling of home slamming back to me was the wondrous aroma of black bread coming from yet another bakery down the street. The line for that particular bakery was, I noticed, especially long compared to the others, and most of its customers were leaving with nothing but black bread.

"That," Pavel pointed toward the bakery, "we're going to get a loaf of that before we leave here."

"Is that that bread your mom made us when I visited you like two Christmases ago?" Nicholas asked.

"Yep." Pavel nodded.

"Make that two loaves then."

First though, we decided to sit down and get some actual lunch. Choosing what was good here was apparently not hard as almost every place was filled. Eventually though, we settled on a part café, part sports bar place, and had lunch.

I had been in America for nearly seven years now, and this was the best, most authentic, Russian meal I had had.

Pelmeni, chicken kiev, olivier, solianka, kulebyaka, and so many more familiar dishes from home. We ordered a bit and tried a bit of everything.

It was amazing. All of it.

Everything we ordered was so authentic, every bite was like going back home, back to Mama's kitchen, to simpler days.

After lunch we headed out to explore the area a bit. We bought two loaves of black bread and devoured them both within minutes. The line was never ending, but by the time we got the bread and took the first bite, the wait had been worth it. It was almost as good as Mama's.

We passed a Russian Cultural Center, again, full of tourists so we decided to skip it and then a theatre, which was showing the play Love and Intrigue, but had been sold out. We visited the great cathedral, again, a tourist attraction, but beautiful and ornate nonetheless. We then headed toward the Museum of Russian Greats, which housed information on important Russians in Lux, in there was even a huge section solely dedicated to great Guardians and Elite Agents of Russian descent. It was a refreshing change to see Guardians being celebrated for their hard work.

It was now right around six in the evening and we were now simply wandering around when Nicholas received a text. Pulling out his phone, he frowned a bit.

"Boss wants to have a chat with us about something, says to meet him at his hotel room as soon as possible."

Pavel and Nicholas turned to me, apologetic.

Sergei remained stoic faced as usual.

"I don't suppose you want to join us…?" Nicholas started.

"I think it would be more prudent for me to stay away from your boss until I've mended things with his daughter."

Pavel chuckled, "Definitely. Though what will you do for the rest of the night?"

I recalled something from the second day we were here, when we were touring the Elite facilities.

"I already have something in mind."

The Spero theatre was packed by the time I got there. People chatted excitedly amongst themselves, and I couldn't help but overhear their conversations. Apparently, there were a lot of Elite Agents in the crowd to support Roza and Noble.

"Mazur and Noble, of course it will be amazing…"

"Wonder if Noble will be able to keep up with Mazur…"

"I still can't believe she convinced him to do this…wonder how she persuaded him?" That particular comment was followed by several suggestive giggles that I did not appreciate.

"What dance are they doing again?"

"They say it's a mix of all sorts of different styles…"

"With the two of them we know it's going to be hot!"

"I know right? The sexual tension between the two of them is just too much!"

"Hey, what song are they doing…"

However, the voices of the people faded away was the lights in the theater dimmed and the curtains pulled back to reveal the most beautiful sight…Roza.

She was wearing a black dress, with a deep cut down the front shaped like a 'V'. It fell right above her knees, revealing bare, perfectly tanned legs that went down to feet encased a pair of plain black high heels. Her hair was in soft waves and pinned to one side as it cascaded down her frame, ending near the small of her back. Her makeup was made to make her even more tempting and alluring; her face flawless, her eyes lined black to make them appear smoky and entrancing, a light flush on her face, a glow that women frequently have on their faces with they're in love, completed with a bold red color on her lips, which were begging, 'suck me!' 'bite me!'

I swallowed down the urge to pick her off the stage, find a cozy closet and do just that.

She walked out from one side of the stage while Noble, dressed simply in a black shirt and black slacks, walked out from the other, the two of them maintaining eye contact the entire way. He stopped at center stage while she continued, walking in a circle around him, her eyes scanning his frame from head to toe before making her way back in front of him. She stopped and gazed. He gazed back.

Several quiet squeals ran through the audience.

Then the music started.

_Aren't you somethin' to admire?_

_'Cause your shine is somethin' like a mirror_

_And I can't help but notice_

_You reflect in this heart of mine_

_If you ever feel alone and_

_The glare makes me hard to find_

_Just know that I'm always_

_Parallel on the other side_

She took his hand in hers, intertwining them before making their palms lay flat against each other's as they circled one another.

"Reminds me of lions…right before they mate." Someone in front of me commented while I ground my teeth.

_'Cause with your hand in my hand and a pocket full of soul_

_I can tell you there's no place we couldn't go_

_Just put your hand on the glass_

_I'll be tryin' to pull you through_

_You just gotta be strong_

Their hands violently ripped away from each other before coming back to rest on each other's bodies.

His hands skimmed down the sides of hers, starting from her breasts (too close for my liking) down to her hips, (again, too close for my liking) to rest at the small of her back. Her hands danced down his shoulders to his hips before one came to rest at his shoulder blade, the other at his back.

Roza used the hand resting on his back to suddenly buck Noble closer to her.

They were flush against each other now, bodies tense, eyes blazing, and the audience was loving it, making comments under their breaths.

"Yes girl! Go get you some of that tall glass of English goodness!"

"So. Much. Flesh. Touching!"

"No one else thinks that their hands are rather…close to certain…sensitive areas?"

_Show me how to fight for now_

_And I'll tell you, baby, it was easy_

_Comin' back here to you once I figured it out_

_You were right here all along_

Noble began gliding Roza backwards in circles. Their eyes never leaving one another's. Their hands roamed each other's bodies, exploring the way two people would if they had been reunited after an excruciatingly long time apart from one another.

The way Roza and I should have after we were reunited, after I was restored.

But that obviously never happened due to my own pig-headedness. If that had happened, Roza would be by my side, in my arms, not up there with Noble.

_It's like you're my mirror_

_My mirror staring back at me_

_I couldn't get any bigger_

_With anyone else beside of me_

_And now it's clear as this promise_

_That we're making two reflections into one_

_'Cause it's like you're my mirror_

_My mirror staring back at me, staring back at me_

Roza and Noble stopped at center stage again. Her hands began to drift down from his shoulders to his chest. Her body began to slide down his. I swallowed harshly, suddenly feeling the stinging in my palms where I had dug my fingers in.

_'Cause I don't wanna lose you now_

_I'm lookin' right at the other half of me_

_The vacancy that sat in my heart_

_Is a space that now you hold_

She was going lower and lower and lower…God, this was torture. Her nose brushing against his stomach, her fingers in his belt loops.

Her bottom pushed out, making a lot of the men in the audience very happy. Her long, elegant leg swept back, and kicked the stage, before bringing it back down again in a sweeping semi-circle. She began to lower herself again.

God was punishing me right now.

"Oh Rose, where are you going?"

"Go get it! You go girl!"

The rest of the crowd on the other hand, were enjoying it immensely.

Mercifully, before she could go lower, his hand caught her ankle, forcing her to stop and look up at him. Then his hand began to travel upwards. Gliding along the smooth, supple calf, past her knee, before finding its resting spot on her thigh.

_Show me how to fight for now_

_And I'll tell you, baby, it was easy_

_Comin' back here to you once I figured it out_

_You were right here all along_

He then turned her around so that her back was glued to his front before his hands came to rest around her throat and on her stomach.

A gentle lover's embrace.

How fucking charming.

Roza's eyes drooped as if in ecstasy, her head fell back to rest against his neck. The two of them began to slide down together. Then, they somehow manipulated her body to curl around his. Her arms reached backwards to wrap around his neck, her legs gripped his as Roza's securely attached herself to Noble, who then lifted her, impressing many women in the audience with his strength.

And then they began to spin around and around and around…

"God, if I were in his arms, I would feel so safe right now."

"Look at those muscles. She is so lucky to be wrapped in them."

_Yesterday is history_

_Tomorrow's a mystery_

_I can see you lookin' back at me_

After several twirls around the stage, he set her down. She wrapped her leg around his and his hand reached down to support her weight by gripping the back of her upper thigh. They began the spins, Noble supporting most of Roza's weight. This time the two of them were side-stepping rapidly. Their legs were moving so fast it was hard to keep up. She stepped, he stepped, she stepped, he stepped, their legs smoothly and rapidly falling into the next step, even though it appeared as if they would fall over any second. Her dress spun with her, flying up just enough to reveal smooth, tanned thighs before the two of them dramatically dropped to the floor in a heap.

Noble gathered Roza in his arms. She kept her eyes lowered to the floor as he began to gently nudge her head up toward his, coaxing her, willing her to make eye contact with him. He'd gently nudge her, like a puppy nudges his favorite toy, while she resisted, keeping her eyes closed shut, her lips parted slightly, giving her the appearance of reluctance and ecstasy at the same time. Finally though, Noble had enough, and with a sharp jerk, forced her face up to face his, both their eyes blazing, right in time with the music.

_Keep your eyes on me_

_Baby, keep your eyes on me_

He wrenched her up, adjusting the two of them into the traditional tango pose. Stiff, strong, Roza down into a half split while Noble clutched her upper body to his.

_'Cause I don't wanna lose you now_

_I'm lookin' right at the other half of me_

_The vacancy that sat in my heart_

_Is a space that now you hold_

_Show me how to fight for now (please show me, baby)_

_I'll tell you, baby, it was easy_

_Comin' back here to you once I figured it out_

_You were right here all along_

She began to bend back again, her legs getting closer and closer to the ground while her upper body arched back, leaving Noble in the perfect position to lean forward, his lips skimming the smooth expanse of her décolletage, starting from the neck, down the collarbones, to right above her heart, where he pressed a kiss.

That nearly sent the audience into a dead faint with the unresolved sexual tension of it all.

Luckily though, Roza jerked herself away from him, sliding back with amazing balance to the other side of the stage, where she arranged herself artfully; one arm behind her head, the other on her hip.

Her perfect red lips spread into a smile, and not just any smile; her signature man eater smile. She brought the arm from behind her head out and extended it toward Noble, beckoning him closer to her.

He elegantly stalked toward her, and she began to move toward him, the two of them meeting in the middle, where they began an impressive series of dips and lifts and spins and twirls.

_It's like you're my mirror_

_My mirror staring back at me_

_I couldn't get any bigger_

_With anyone else beside of me_

_And now it's clear as this promise_

_That we're making two reflections into one_

_'Cause it's like you're my mirror_

_My mirror staring back at me, staring back at me_

The song was approaching its end now, and Roza and Noble's movements slowed. They returned to the same position they had at the beginning, face to face, mirroring each other.

Their bodies slowed, mirroring each other's movements impeccably.

Their hands were unbound, roaming each other's bodies.

Nobel suddenly turned away from Roza, and made a move as if he were going to walk away, but Roza caught his hand. Intertwining their fingers, she pulled him back to her to her chest was flush against his back. Her other hand came to caress down his chest.

He turned slightly so that their bodies were perpendicular to each other, but he turned his head to face hers.

They gazed at each other for a millisecond before their eyes dropped closed.

I tensed, predicting what was about to happen.

Their faces leaned toward each other, the song was approaching its final notes.

I can't watch this. No.

Their lips were millimeters away from one another's…

I like my heart was about to burst out of my chest.

And then the song played its final note…and the curtain came down.

I breathed a sigh of relief.

The audience went crazy, cheering and whistling.

"Teases!"

"There's that chemistry we all know is there!"

"That. Was. So. Hot!"

"Mazur and Noble, fucking making the rest of us look bad."

"Have you ever seen two people so in sync with each other?"

"Two people cannot exert THAT much sexual tension and not be sleeping with each other!"

"I just hate it when two people, who are so clearly meant to be together, are not together!"'

The comments stayed with me when Roza and Noble reappeared to take their bows, with matching broad grins and hand in hand.

They stayed with me while I filed out of the theater with everyone else.

They stayed with me while I walked back to Guardian Headquarters, alone.

They stayed with me while I entered my empty room.

They stayed with me while I changed and got ready for bed by myself, and then slid into bed, by myself.

They stayed with me because they were true, no matter how hard it was to admit it.

Ben Noble and Rose fit together. They just simply fit together. They made sense.

They were each other's constant companions, most trusted confidant, loyal partners, and most cherished friend, anyone who spent mere minutes with the two of them, seeing them interact, could see that.

They were each other's mirrors.

* * *

**Aww, I made Dimitri happy at the beginning, but t****hen sad by the end.**

**That was rather rude of me...*smirks***

**Also, I think it's safe to say I'm not going to be writing another dance scene, unless it's a clubbing scene or a slow dance, because those are easy!**

**I had meant to get this out yesterday, but I got bogged down researching Russian dishes and watching tango dances on YouTube for inspiration. If you guys want to watch the main videos I took inspiration from, go to YouTube, and look up...**

**Santa Maria-Sexy Tango**

**Antonio Banderas - Take the Lead Tango**

**JLo-Shall We Dance**

**EDIT 11/05/14 – Also look at Ed Sheeran's Thinking Out Loud video…so cute!**

**Yes, I know this dance wasn't a true tango and most tangos aren't set to a pop song, but that's the song I had in my head when planning the scene, and the dance is a really, really loose interpretation of a tango. Really, I just wanted Ben to get sexy (and what's sexier than a tango?)and Dimitri to get jealous. :)**

**Anyway, hope you enjoyed and please tell me how much, in a review!**

**As always, I hope you have a great day!**


	19. Bombshells and Baseball

**Hey guys! I'm really sorry for the late update! This was meant to go up Sunday, but I had technical difficulties. I had this all saved up and ready to upload Saturday night, but when I went to do just that, I found out my computer had only saved a third of the chapter. *dramatic head desk***

**So yeah...Sunday was spent mourning the lost pieces of the chapter, Monday was spent trying to remember the important details, and Tuesday and Wednesday were spent trying to retype the lost work as closely as to the original work. So, I think this isn't as good as the original that was lost (cries and mourns some more) but, it's still something, at least! **

**Last chapter was pretty controversial, which was exactly what I expected! Haha! Some of you hate me and how I portrayed Dimitri last chapter, but I think it was just enough. Look, I'm a total Romitri and Dimitri fan, bit honestly, his behavior at the end of Spirit Bound infuriated me. I understand his reasoning and his mind set, but my heart broke for Rose at the end of it. Imagine your one true love, who you fought so hard to get back (risking your life, entering dangerous situations, busting your ass and breaking various rules), came back, and acted like you were nothing. Wants nothing to do with you. Tosses you away like trash and clings on to others for comfort. Honestly, I felt so bad for Rose. So while I love Dimitri; I think a little punishment, a little taste of being ignored while watching Rose with another guy, another amazing guy at that, just a little bit, is the perfect bit of karma. That's just what I think. Luckily for Romitri, we've got a smattering of Romitri moments coming up next.**

**On the other hand, some of you really, really liked the dance and Ben! And for that, I thank you! I've said this before, but I feel like I need to reiterate that this IS a Rose and Dimitri story. Ben will not be heartbroken at the end of it. Some of you want a Rose and Ben ending, so I'll toy around with the idea of an alternate ending, but we'll see what you guys think by the end of it.**

**So, thanks for the amazing response for the last chapter! This chapter has a small time jump, some Rose and Ben, some Rose and Dimitri, and a baseball game...I think we all know what that means!**

**I'll stop rambling on now, and let you get on with it!**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. Isabelle belongs to Cassandra Clare. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Dimitri Belikov**

It had been a week since the performance. I would have been fine after the dance performance, more than happy to forget the event, but everyone else refused to forget about it.

I had come to figure out that Roza and Noble were well liked at the Elite, almost achieving a celebrity-like status. All week, various Elite Agents had been talking about the performance, raving about it, and the one comment that kept being repeated, that kept haunting me…

"It won't be long now."

Yes. There were people just waiting, counting the days until the great Noble and Mazur, and I quote, "get their shit together and make a bunch of babies."

Their partnership was so strong they had people wanting them for more.

It was a common occurrence here; Elite Agents and Guardians dating, even marrying one another. Yes, there were still some rules and regulations, but at the end of the day, there was no prejudice or law keeping them apart.

Pavel and Nicholas have been trying to get that thought out of my head all week.

It has not been working.

And it really wasn't working right now, during Weaponry with Blades, with Roza and Noble walking rather close together as they strolled up and down the lines of Guardians practicing with our practice chakrams, which was proving harder than everybody thought. The amount of times we had cut ourselves was ridiculous.

I quietly observed them, as they chatted and observed, the normal behavior going on between them. Rose suddenly pulled out her phone while Noble went on and checked on us. Roza stayed where she was, typing away something on her phone. Noble returned to her side, peering over her shoulder as she typed. He said something, she said something, they bantered as usual.

I turned back to my target, got wanting to witness anymore. I attempted to spin the weapon around my finger like Roza had demonstrated earlier. I got into position, focused on my target…until I heard Roza let out a little squeal.

I turned to look, they were in yet another poking spree, when I noticed it.

Her back. His arm. The matching scars on them.

The chakram flew off my finger, completely missing the target and bouncing off the wall where it ricocheted off and flew across the room, right past Roza and Noble.

"Do you need help Dimitri?" Roza called out as I retrieved the weapon.

"I'm fine," I responded, not wanting to look back.

I could feel their eyes on me as I made another throw.

The scars were no small matter. They appeared to have faded quite bit, but a person could still see the damage. It appeared as if their flesh had been raked over and over by something with extremely sharp-claws? Teeth?- as jagged, zig-zag patterns marred their skin.

In past training sessions, the two of them had worn t-shirts that had covered the injured areas of their arms and backs; however, today the weather had warmed significantly, and Roza had worn a sports bra, making many males in the group very happy, while Noble had on a sleeveless shirt.

"_There are many more things more evil than the Strigoi," _Gemina Croft's warning on our very first day here came back to me.

Roza seemed to have received the worst of it. Her scars were thicker than Noble's and more plentiful. They stretched from the base of her neck, down the middle of her back, finally stopping in a mess of mangled, pink lines right above her right hip. While Noble's covered less surface area, they were no less horrific. His started from the base of his neck, past his left shoulder, and ended right above his elbow.

People who receive scars like that are not able to just get up, walk away and get bandaged up quickly at the infirmary. Scars like those took time to heal, months even. Scars like those caused lasting damaged, physically and perhaps even mentally. However, getting scars like those together could bond two people together. Scars like those came with a story.

A story that I needed to know to uncover yet another part of the new Roza.

* * *

**Rose Hathaway**

_It's set for Saturday  
-R_

_Seriously?  
-A_

_Yep! :D  
-R_

_Have you told them?  
-A_

_No. Surprises are more fun!  
-R_

_You're in this for the shock factor aren't you?  
-A_

_That. And the fun factor!  
-R_

"You're really not going to tell them? Not even a little warning?"

I turned to face my partner, smiling.

"Nope." I cheered, popping the 'p.'

Ben shook his head. "You think you're cute don't you?"

I grinned at him, batting my eyelashes.

He rolled his eyes in response. "You've been giving me that look a lot, lately."

_The curtain came down as Ben and I finished our bows. We could still hear the audience cheering through it, and damn, did it feel good to get this dance out and down with. Not that it wasn't fun, but it also added one more thing on my plate and Ben's._

"_I am never dancing ever again. No matter how hard you give me those puppy dog eyes. Never again." Ben shook his head._

"_What? You didn't have fun? How could you not have fun?" I smirked, "Oh, I know! It's because dancing isn't manly enough for you! A manly man such as yourself needs macho activities, like hunting doves and throwing back whiskey and shaving with a straight razor!"_

"_First off, I never said that dancing was not manly. And second off, that was more stressful than anything. Having to remember the dance moves, timing it perfectly with the music, having to drag you around, and not look stupid at the same time. Dear Angel, I'm sticking with acting," Ben blew out a breath, shaking his head. _

"_Did you just call me fat?" I said in mock outrage._

"_I had to carry you around for half of that dance is what I meant. I never said that you were fat. Though, it wouldn't have killed you to lay off the doughnuts a couple of weeks before..."_

_I glared at him. "You're calling me fat."_

"_I most certainly did not!" Ben grinned. "Damn it woman! Always jumping to conclusions, putting words in my mouth. And all I want from you is love. All I want is love!" Ben cried dramatically, gathering the attention of some of the crew around us. They had the reaction most people had when they witnessed our antics; an amused smiled and a head shake._

"_Stop being over dramatic," I rolled my eyes. "And you know you loved it tonight. I mean, I think we should do another one soon! I'm thinking a salsa next or-"_

_Ben started walking away, toward his dressing room._

"_How about a flamenco? Or a rumba? Think of all the possibilities! Oh, better yet, think of the outfits we would have? The dresses I could have! And the sequins for you! Sequins are manly, they'd bring out your eyes!" I faux gushed._

_Ben glared at me one last time from the doorway of his dressing room._

_I grinned, and batted my eye lashes at him._

_He shut the door._

"Stop giving me that look. It's getting less cute and more creepy." He grunted, poking my side gently.

I did the mature thing and poked him back.

Of course, this was us. It escalated into a full poking war until…

_Plunk. _

The small practice chakram flew past Ben and I, so close we felt the brush of air it created as it whizzed past and hit the wall.

We stopped and twisted around to see look at the chakram. Then we turned to watch the person who had thrown it stalk past to retrieve it.

"Do you need any help, Dimitri?" I called out as he returned to his station.

"I'm fine," he replied, not even looking at me.

I turned to Ben, who also looked concerned, but merely shrugged.

We were in Weaponry with Blades and Dimitri had been like this all week. Isabelle and Lev had mentioned how he seemed tense and withdrawn during their instruction.

I blew it off at first. Dimitri was always took his work seriously, and this was no different.

I thought nothing of it until he came into Basic Specialized Combat. His face was smooth, impassive. He worked methodically, absorbing our lessons, taking what we taught and applying them to his spars effortlessly. Honestly, I expected no less from Dimitri Belikov.

However, this, the perfection, the lack of emotion, was beginning to worry me. It was beginning to worry me because I know Dimitri. I know he is never in control as much as he thinks he is. I know he hides, but while some people hide behind anger and acting out, Dimitri was the opposite. He's been the picture of control this week. In fact, he's been too controlled. His blank face was, for me anyway, a giveaway for the anger that was boiling inside him. His rigidness was masking how out of control he wanted to get, and I could see it every time he sparred because I could see the slight shaking in him.

"You should talk to him," Ben said, no doubt sensing the direction of my thoughts. "You're the only one who really knows him. You know…know _know _him… Plus, I do not want a repeat of Wednesday."

I smirked. Wednesday during Basic Specialized Combat, we let the group spar with Ben to see if they had retained what they had learned last week. All of them had, but not all of them had mastered what we taught them.

However, Dimitri had.

And the proof of that was on Ben, in the form of a sizable bruise on his abs.

"I thought that class went rather well," I shrugged innocently, ignoring the pointed look Ben shot my way.

* * *

Sweat poured from me as I made it to the top of the mountain trail, even though was only half way done with my run, and not even feeling the burn yet.

Oh yeah, baby. Endurance.

I always ran this course on the weekends, as opposed to my usual jog through the city, which, due to it being the city, also nicely added an obstacle course element for me. There was just something about being back with nature that really agreed with me. I loved this; the sun's warmth on my skin, the feel and crunch of dirt and sand beneath my shoes, the brisk breeze, it was all fantastic. These were little things, but it was the little things that mattered. I definitely would not be able to do this if I had stayed at Court, being a Guardian, living on a reversed schedule.

There were more people than usual on the trail today, just as I suspected. Word had gotten out to the visiting Guardians that this was the most challenging, but scenic running trail in Caelum. Really, I couldn't blame them for wanting to check it out. The ones who did looked like they were not regretting it at all.

As I jogged, I saw many of my fellow Agents and Guardians, we nodded in greeting to each other as we continued on our way, not having the breath to do much else. Now, normally I wouldn't have minded the surge of new people, but this surge of more people brought problems for me.

And by problems, I meant 'The Rose Hathaway Fan Club,' as Eddie, Josh, and Adrian so lovingly named my little group of admirers.

Admirers, creeps, whatever, but I was so not putting up with their shit on my day off, so I made a point to be extra vigilant to avoid running into one of them. If I did, I would not be held accountable for my actions.

I was just approaching the bottom of the trail when I heard it, and smelt it.

I heard the steady rhyme of his jog as he approached me.

I smelt the heady, sexy aftershave that was so synonymous with him.

And then I felt his presence as he fell into a jog next to me…

"Roza."

_Why?_

Nonetheless, I knew that this would happen eventually, no matter how many crazy schemes I came up with to try to avoid it, so I put on my big girl face, and turned to him.

"Dimitri," I plastered a pleasant smile on my face while still maintaining my pace, "how are you?"

He jogged just a bit closer to me and turned so that I could see his face better. With so little space between us, I could smell his scent even better and those chocolate brown eyes…they just pierced me.

I tried to tell myself that my heart rate began to creep up because of the jog.

"I'm well."

Lies.

"Really? You've seemed…off all week," I said, concerned.

There was a beat of silence. We simply continued to jog along the path. Well, I jogged along and tried not to inhale too much of his sexy aftershave, which was a problem considering I needed air to you know, live and survive this workout.

"I'm fine," he repeated.

"Come on Dimitri, it's me. I'm me, you're you. You should know the deal by now, that I know you well enough to know that that's a lie."

Yet another beat of silence.

"According to most of the male population, it's your hips that don't lie," came the terse reply.

Oh God. "You've been hanging around them haven't you? The group of idiots that have a less of a chance of seeing what these hips can _really_ do than Christian?"

_Finally._ The corner of his lips twitched upward, amused.

I smirked, glad to see my charms still working on him.

"I didn't have to hang around them to see that it was the truth. I saw it with my own eyes." The amused Dimitri was gone, replaced by the serious, closed off Dimitri.

What?

Oh…

Cue the light bulb going off in my head.

Oh dear Angel. He was there. At the theater last week. He was the dance. He saw me. He saw me and Ben dancing…together.

Shit.

"You saw the performance."

I didn't need a verbal confirmation. The answer was in his behavior this past week. The answer was in the Guardian mask he slammed on as soon as I spoke. The answer was in the way he stiffened when I mentioned the performance.

"Do you two do that often?" He asked, emotionless.

I laughed, though that did not seem to calm him.

"No, it was just a one time thing." I shook my head vehemently. "I work for a dance school one day out of the week. They wanted me to do a performance, you know, drum up some more business, and I was all for it. At first I thought about doing a solo performance, but the nerves got the best of me. You know, I just teach, I never really performed before. So, I went in and requested to do a partner dance and they were all for it. The only issue was that we don't have a lot of male dancers at the school; just two. One was on vacation, and the other one…well, he just doesn't know the meaning of personal space, so I called in Ben." I looked up to see his reaction. The Guardian mask was gone, replaced with a thoughtful look.

We jogged down the path in silence for a bit longer before he spoke again.

"Why him?"

"Why Ben? I asked, surprised.

Dimitri nodded.

"Well, I needed someone I could trust to not feel me up on stage, and who was comfortable with performing, and well…there's nobody I trust more than Ben. I had trust issues when I first arrived here, especially with guys after what happened with us back at Court," Dimitri looked like he had been slapped, but I continued on, "and he's an actor on the side, so he was the perfect fit. I mean I had to beg him to do it, but he caved eventually and…yeah. You saw what happened…" I trailed off awkwardly as I noticed his jaw tensing.

"It's nice that you two have that together," Dimitri said.

I turned, surprised, but touched.

"It goes along with the matching scars."

I froze and stopped abruptly. Dimitri stopped as well.

We were both breathing heavily; him probably from the jog, and me from the fact that he noticed the scars. When did he notice them? How? Why?

I mean, I was in no way ashamed of my scars. I had no qualms wearing backless tops and dresses out. If people had an issue with it, they could just look away. Most people did comment on my scar, but they never asked me to elaborate in it. Once I explained that I was an Elite Agent though, most understood.

I truly was grateful no one had ever asked for specifics of what happened the day my back was scarred. The only people who really know every gory detail were my team, my family and Christian. Though Ben knew because he was there with me…

"Roza," I was snapped out of my thoughts by Dimitri.

While I was lost in my thoughts, he had tentatively brought his hand up to my back, as if he could feel the scars through the fabric of my t-shirt and wanted to erase them with one swipe of his palm. From the look in his face I knew he was trying to remember the path the scars took down my back. And his eyes; they were so soulful, but so sad at the same time. They were sad for me. I desperately wanted to reach up, cup that cheek like I had so many times before, lean in and up and rest my forehead against his and reassure him that it was nothing, just part of the job.

But I couldn't.

I couldn't because that would be a complete lie. I couldn't tell him what happened because he would be horrified. I couldn't tell him because he would prod for the whole story, and I could not tell him that, I couldn't put him through that. I couldn't tell him because I had never actually told the story to another person, and I didn't know if I would be able to get through it. Finally though, I could not tell him because I was still confused about us, if there even is an us. I didn't know where we stood, where we would go, and I could not share such a big part of myself and have him up and leave me, again, which was inevitable considering he was only here for training…

"Roza, Roza what happened to your back?" I looked back up at him.

Nope, nope, I couldn't do it; not to him or myself.

So I didi the only thing I could do; go on the defensive.

"I'm sorry, but I don't see how that's any of your business." I sniffed as I jerked myself away from him.

Dimitri looked shocked by my actions, his hand still in mid-air, where my back was a few seconds ago.

"Roza, I-I care about you and your wellbeing-"

"Seriously? I'm shocked Dimitri. I mean, surely, concern fades along with love doesn't it?" I drawled with enough snark to make Christian proud.

If Dimitri looked like he had been slapped with my earlier trust comment, he looked like I had just sucker punched him after that one. It would be pretty funny if we were in a completely different circumstance. I had stunned the great Dimitri Belikov; his eyes were un-naturally wide, his mouth gaped open has he started breathing heavily again.

"Roza-"

"I have to go. I have an appointment," I said flatly as I began a brisk jog away from him.

"Roza!"

The brisk jog turned into a full out run. After a few yards I turned back, and he was still at the same exact spot where we were, watching me run from him.

I turned and continued on.

* * *

"This is a beautiful park," my mom complimented as she looked around the stadium.

After my eventful jog with Dimitri, I rushed home, changed into my Caelum Phoenix jersey paired with some simple leggings and Toms, and drove over to the Adagio and picked up the Old Man and my mom.

After that, Abe and I argued about how to get to the stadium, which was on the other side of downtown. I had wanted to take my car because I really couldn't picture Abe Mazur taking public transportation. Usually when I went with the gang, we just took the subway. It stopped right in front of the ballpark and was only a twenty minute ride. Honestly, taking public transportation was how most people got to the games because very few people were willing to pay for the thirty dollar an hour parking available at the ballpark. It's part of the Caelum Phoenix experience; being on the subway, packed in like sardines with other Phoenix fans, soaking up the energy before filing out and into the beautiful park to cheer on the team

However, Abe had done his research, and insisted in taking the subway, wanting to soak in the "entire experience."

His words, not mine.

So after a thirty minute trip, which included me showing my parents how to buy their tickets, and getting odd, nervous stares from most of the people in the trolley with us, we made it to the park twenty minutes before game time.

The Old Man and mom marveled at the spectacle of it all. Outside the ballpark was a sea of blue and orange, the colors of the team. I waved and said hello to a few regulars I was friendly, as well as the employees before introducing my parents. Needless to say, I got more than a few raised eyebrows, for reasons more than Abe's reputation.

Inside the ballpark, it just got even more amazing. The design of the park itself was simply sublime; modern, spacious and open to the fresh air. It featured amazing 360 degree views of the city. The stadium was built right next to the water, and many liked to stand by the part of the park closest to the water and marvel at the boats before the game. Luscious aromas came from every corner of the ball park, and food from all sorts of cultures could be found everywhere. The players were warming up on the field, much to the delight of many a female fan. People streamed in and out of sections; finding their seats, getting food and drinks which were overpriced but still park of the experience, meeting up with friends, etcetera, etcetera.

"Nice jersey, Kiz. Did you get that custom made?" Abe nodded at my shirt, which had the name 'Mazur' emblazoned on the back along with the number eight in blue lettering. The front of the jersey had 'Caelum' in blue lettering with an orange outline.

I merely grinned. Man was he in for a surprise.

"Come on, let's walk around a bit before getting our seats," I smiled as I guided Abe and mom around the ballpark, not answering the question. Abe narrowed his eyes at this but said nothing. We watched the water like everyone else. We took in the beautiful views as we strolled around. I greeted even more people as we made the round.

What could I say? I was popular here.

"Rose? How many games do you go to each season?" Mom raised her eyebrows as we waited in line for some Turkish ayran. The Old Man was pleased as punch when I introduced him to the Turkish food stall.

"I try to go to every home game," I answered simply. "You know, support the team and all!"

Mom's eyebrows raised up even higher, but she said nothing as we got our drinks and headed toward out seats.

I happily greeted Marty, the elderly, but feisty man who was checking the tickets at my section tonight. We made our way down the stairs and scooted into our seat. My seats were pretty good; they weren't right behind the home team dugout, but they weren't all the way to the back. They made for some pretty amazing views of the game and some close calls with the occasional rogue fly ball.

We had just gotten settled into our seats when it began.

"Good evening Caelum! We welcome you to the beautiful Masters Park tonight and hope that you…" The announcer's booming voice filled the park as she went through the welcome speech, safety speech, and endorsements. She welcomed special guests and highlighted some upcoming events before finally getting to the part I had been waiting for.

"And here are the lineups for tonight's game! For the visiting Blanca Seahawks…" She went through the visiting team's lineup before ramping it up for the home team line up.

"Annnd for your Caaaaelum Phoenix…batting first, outfielder, number 21…Austin Lenov!"

And cue the eruption of cheers.

"Batting second, first baseman, number 35…Marco Savalti!"

More cheering…

"Third baseman, batting third, number 13…Daniel Agronski!"

I cheered along with the rest of the fans, but now I sat up straighter in my seat. This was the moment I had been waiting for all week…

"Batting fourth, number 8, catcher…Aiden Mazur!"

* * *

**Hahaha! Now seriously, who saw that coming!?**

**Also, I want to point out that I said we would be having a Rose and Dimitri moment, I never said that we would be having a Romitri moment! ;) There's a difference guys! Don't hate me too much! We have a ROMITRI moment in the next chapter!**

**Other than that, tell me your thoughts in a review, have a nice day wherever you are, and I'll see you soon!**


	20. To New Beginnings

**Well, well, well…you guys seemed to like the last chapter! I enjoyed reading your theories about who Aiden is, and your thoughts on the Rose and Dimitri situation. Some of you guys think Aiden's her brother, and some of you guys think he's her child? Hmm…well, anyway, we shall see this chapter! In fact, right now!**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Rose Mazur**

"Wooo!" I cheered along with the rest of the crowd. You could mostly only hear the cheers and shrieks of the female fans, but hey, what could you do when said player had the signature killer Mazur looks?

"That's my brother!" I grinned as I turned to the people sitting behind me, a nice little family who grinned back at me, and pointed out Aiden's picture flashing on the Jumbotron. And it was a pretty epic animation. He slowly looked up, lifted his catcher's mask, and stared down the crowd with that intense gaze of his, something he undoubtedly got from the Old Man, arms crossed while the number eight blazed beside him.

"Br-brother?" Mom sputtered out, looking at me like I was insane.

"Half-brother, if you want to get all technical about it," I rolled my eyes. "But screw the technicalities."

Mom turned to Abe, her face stern and her eyes questioning. And Abe…oh, he was a sight to see…

Abe Mazur was stunned, shocked, gob smacked, been mind fucked six ways to Sunday. His eyes were wide, scanning the field as he, I assumed, attempted to find Aiden, as the team waited for the lineup announcement to be finished so they could take the field to start the game. He actually looked a bit pale, and his navy striped scarf heaved along with his chest has his breathing sped up.

Actually, that last one was slightly worrying.

"Ibrahim?"

"Abe?"

Mom and I said at the same time, concern filling our voices.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, taking the field now, please, make some noise for yooour Caaaelum Phoenix!" Alinda, the Phoenix's stadium announcer boomed, pumping up the fans.

A resounding cheer grew from the crowd as the players ran out onto the field form the dugout, each of them going to their respective positions and doing a few warm up tosses. Our eyes were locked on the squatting figure behind home plate. We couldn't really see Aiden that well because his mask and protective gear were on, the only definite feature we could see was his height, something he definitely inherited from Abe.

Abe was staring at Aiden's crouched figure, unmoving.

"That's- he's my son."

I nodded. "That's your son, my half-brother. Aiden Mazur."

Abe turned to stare at me after my comment. Mom was looking a mixture of uncomfortable and shocked.

"What?"

"Penelope Froide. Remember her?" I said, then turned back to the game.

First pitch. Curveball for a strike.

"Who was Penelope, Ibrahim?" Mon asked sternly, but not angrily.

"She-she was an ex-girlfriend of mine-"

"Your first girlfriend, if I'm not mistaken." I interjected helpfully, not taking my eyes off the game.

Abe shot me a look before continuing. "We met in France. She was French, you know. This was three years before I met you Janine, three years and-"

Abe Mazur nervous. I'd never thought I'd see the day.

"We dated for six months before it was over. We were young, care free, and the whole thing was never really serious. Of course, that point was brought home when I found out she had been cheating on me for nearly a month. I broke it off with her, never heard or saw her ever again, I never knew-"

Fastball down the center for strike two.

"I never knew," Abe breathed out, more to himself than to anyone else, "She never told me, I didn't know-I did not at any time know-"

"Oh Ibrahim," Mom muttered sympathetically, leaning toward him and rubbing his shoulders comfortingly.

Shit this is awkward. I tried to focus on the game in front of me and not my parents showing the most affection I had ever seen them show toward one another next to me.

On the other hand, baseball games seem like great places to revive the past.

Maybe I should bring Dimitri here some time…

"Why did she never tell me? Contact me?" Old Man continued to mutter.

I sighed, and turned to my parents. "You know the guy she cheated on you with? Some French slacker with a snotty name? She convinced herself and the guy that the baby was his. He was out the door when Aiden was born and looked nothing like him."

Abe contemplated this for a moment. "Does he-does Aiden know who I am?"

I rolled my eyes. "Old Man, your reputation precedes you, even here. Aiden's known who his father was since-well, actually, I should let him tell you himself." I tuned my attention back to the game.

"My son knows who I am. Did you hear that Janine? My son-Oh God. My son. A son. I have a son, Janine, and he's right there. Oh God-" Abe looked like he was about to have a panic attack.

I rolled my eyes again.

Screwball for strike three.

* * *

"Old Man, if I didn't know better, I would think you're nervous." I teased as I watched Abe wring his hands as we waited for Aiden to appear from the player's clubhouse.

The game went well with the Phoenix winning six to four. For me, most of the game was spent babysitting Abe and Mom; making sure they didn't pass out from shock, fielding their questions as best as I could, watching, amused, at their reaction every time Aiden came up to bat, and forcing them to eat some garlic fries because it just wasn't a baseball game without those.

Neither Abe nor Mom bothered to answer my remark, both instead choosing various ways to deal with the impending meet up with Aiden. Mom choosing to put on her Guardian mask and very keenly observe the wall in front us; Abe chose to adjust his clothing several times and try to force his body into a relaxed, carefree pose.

Try being the operative word there.

And me? Well I did what I normally did while I waited for Aiden to finish his postgame ritual of showering, changing, and press interviews. I said hello and chatted with the other family members who were waiting, mostly wives with kids and the occasional parent or sibling, for their players to come out. I greeted the players when they did slowly emerge, and they in turn greeted me back, though not without shooting some looks at my parents. This continued on for a while, at least half the players had already left by now when finally…

The clubhouse door creaked open to reveal Aiden.

He was looking down, checking something on his phone while he adjusted the strap of his duffle on his shoulder. He started walking toward us, and he was about half way to us when he did finally look up.

Abe sucked in a breath as he, for the first time ever, got a look at his son.

When Aiden and I first met, any doubt that we were not actually related was blown out of the water as soon as we got a look at each other. We both received more features from Abe than our respective mothers. We both had the same tanned skin tone. We both had kick-ass hair that we inherited from Abe, dark and even the same smooth, thick texture. Where we differed were the bone structure and eyes. While I have mom's dark brown eyes, Aiden has his mom's hazel eyes.

Mom and I watched with baited breath as Aiden got closer and closer. His eyes swept over the three of us, starting with my smirking form and landing on Abe's stunned one. He chose to focus on Abe, which was perfectly understandable considering this was their first meeting ever. Hell, Abe didn't even know he existed until three hours ago. Aiden's eyes scanned Abe as he finally reached us. I could see him comparing the two of them.

Same tallness? Check.

Same hair? Check.

Same dark, thick eyebrows? Same strong bone structure? Same tanned skin? Check, check and check.

And that mischievous glint in Aiden's eye? The same one I have? Yeah, that was all Abe.

Speaking of the devil, he seemed to be letting Aiden take the lead on this, maybe because he wanted Aiden to control the flow of their first meeting, maybe because he was currently stupefied.

Aiden finally stopped staring. His face broke out into the signature Mazur smirk, one that we had perfected over the years. He opened his mouth and in his baritone…

"Hello, Old Man."

* * *

The atmosphere was best described as awkward anticipation as Aiden, Mom, Abe, and I sat at Aiden's favorite burger joint, waiting for the food to arrive; Abe and mom on one side of the booth, Aiden and I on the other.

"Wow, guys. The amount of family fun we're having right now is almost too much to take." I drawled before taking a sip of my soda.

"I know right, sis? I mean, this is what we've been missing out on for all these years." Aiden smirked before taking a sip from his own soda.

Abe and moms stared at us. Aiden and I continued to sip.

"I never knew," the Old Man finally blurted out, "if I had known, I would have tried to contact your mother. I would have tried to contact you. I want you to know that. I don't want you to think that I didn't want you. Penelope, your mother, when I left she never contacted me for anything. She and our relationship, if you could even call it that, eventually faded from my mind. And when I left, Penelope had given no indication that anything was wrong. She didn't have any pregnancy symptoms, didn't give me any reason to stay with her. By the time we broke up our relationship was pretty fractured already, we had been having issues for weeks by that point…but if she had told me, I would have found a way to work it out-"

"Would you really have?" Aiden cut in. "From what I know, at that time you were just starting your…business endeavors, making your line of work dangerous, too dangerous for a child. Isn't that the reason you agreed, though reluctantly, to let Guardian Hathaway here take Rose?"

Abe turned to look at me, as did mom. I gave them a look that said, _'not getting involved.'_

"Why…you do have a point there," Abe acquiesced, "but as with Rose, I would have been there, behind the scenes, until you were eighteen. At that age you're old enough to make your own decisions, old enough to decide whether you want a father in your life…or if it's too late…"

Aiden sighed, pushing away his half-drunk soda then leaning closer across the table.

"Here's the thing. I grew up without any father figure in my life, and I like to think I've turned out okay. Growing up, I didn't need a stalker; I needed just one normal parent. But I didn't get that, and I can't blame it on you. There's no way I could spin it to put the blame on you. I think if we wanted to pin the blame on someone, the only person we could would be my mom, but she's not here. And it's been what? Twenty six years? I can't hold a grudge for twenty six years; my mother on the other hand, certainly has been able to. I'm not entirely sure why though, considering not telling you was her idea, but that's not the point. The point is I can't be mad at you for not being there because you didn't even know I existed. Maybe if I turned out screwed up, I could have blamed you, but I didn't. I had a decent childhood, friends and hobbies to keep me busy. I busted my ass in high school to get a full ride for college. I got drafted right out of college, did my time in the minors, and here I am now. Life turned out fine for me, and it seems to have turned out fine for you," Aiden eyes Abe and his flashy outfit, then mom, then me, flashing me a grin.

"What I'm trying to say, is that I have no real reason to be mad at you, so I'm not. What's important is that you're here now and I'm here now. Also Rose's here, and Guardian Hathaway's here and apparently making you very happy, so, if you'd like, I'd like to move on. Start getting to know each other, start building a relationship, you know, like normal people would have with their normal parents."

Abe and mom looked shocked. I think they were excepting something completely different; something more like anger and disappointment.

What can I say? My brother's one mature guy.

"Well," Abe recovered, "I would like nothing more than to get to know you better…Aiden."

Aiden smiled. Abe smiled.

Aww, we're having a family moment. How nice.

"So, how's Penelope?"

And nice moment's over.

I let out an awkward cough while Aiden averted his eyes, sighed and shook his head a bit.

"I wouldn't know. Haven't spoken to her for three years. The last time I spoke to her, she came over to my apartment asking for money so she could get her next fix."

Abe and mom's eyes widened. "What?"

"Yeah. She's been in and out of rehab since I was like ten. Hell, she even hit up Rose for money once. I'm still really sorry about that by the way," Aiden muttered the last part to me.

I rolled my eyes and made a non-committal hand gesture.

"Since when?" Abe questioned, appalled.

"Since I was five. She started dating this guy, who turned out to be a dealer. She started small, then you know…worked her way up to the serious stuff."

"Someone obviously never watched Requiem for a Dream," I muttered, shuddering. The things I saw in that movie…

Aiden snorted while Abe still looked stunned. Mom just looked plain uncomfortable.

"So, who-how were you raised?" Abe looked horrified at the thought of Aiden being raised by a druggie.

"Daria. She was the housekeeper growing up."

"And a saint who knows how to make the best pierogi ever."

Abe ignored me. "Is she, alright?"

Aiden looked amused, "As alright a person addicted to drugs can be I guess."

"I'm sorry-" Abe began before Aiden cut him off again.

"You have nothing to be sorry about. Again, I may not have grown up with the most involved parents, but I had a mother in Daria, and a large framily."

"Framily?" Old Man raised a dark eyebrow.

"A family made up of your friends," I said, matter-of-factly.

"They're the best because you chose them yourself, whereas with a family, you're stuck with whoever you get." Aiden nodded.

If the Old Man looked hurt by our "family" definition, he never showed it; besides, any reaction he could have was cut off by the arrival of the waitress with our food.

"Thank you," Aiden and I said in stereo before digging into our burgers.

Yeah, we inherited the same appetite.

"What?" We both noticed Old Man and mom staring at us, amused.

Abe chuckled. "Nothing you two, nothing at all."

* * *

**Dimitri Belikov**

The time on my phone read 10:37 by the time Rose came out of the Dare dance studio.

I had spent Sunday doing some more exploring around the city, this time deciding to stay around the area near the Guardian headquarters. Nicholas had spent part of the day with me, just wandering and talking, until he had to leave after dinner for a meeting with his boss. I had no qualms with that, though he was rather apologetic about it. I spent the rest of the time alone catching a play; specifically, _The_ _Three Musketeers_. I had wanted to see Noble on stage, in his element, and the man, as I grudgingly have to admit, was not disappointing. His portrayal of d'Artagnan was strong and solid, and of course the sword fighting was spot on. After that I continued to wander a bit before I spotted it. A brick building nestled between a coffee shop and a tourist souvenir shop with the word 'dare' written in an elegant scrawl. Large windows revealed a receptionist type area, and by sheer luck, the moment I walked past and happened to glance at the building, Roza walked by.

My God, she was a vision. Her hair fell down her back in loose waves, a welcoming sight considering she usually wore her hair up during practice. She was wearing a silky burgundy red top that only covered her breasts and about an inch of skin beneath. Around her lower body was a long black skirt with little gold coins sewn around the waist. She was talking with the young girl manning the front desk, joking around. The girl said something to Roza, and she laughed in response, then did a little hip shimmy. Her hair swayed, her hips bounced, the coins danced, and I was a goner; falling deeper under the spell of Roza all over again.

She disappeared from view as more and more people began to show up for the lesson. I decided to take a break from my wanderings and go to the coffee shop next to the dance studio. Grabbing myself a drink, I though about what to do. On the one hand, if I stayed and waited for her, would be dangerously approaching stalker territory. On the other, this could be my chance to talk to her alone, without Noble or any other distractions interfering. Who knows when I would have this opportunity next?

That made my decision for me, and I found myself relaxing for about an hour before I noticed people leaving the building. After a few more minutes Roza walked out, bag slung over one shoulder, waving goodbye to someone inside the building.

I exited the shop and made my way towards her hesitantly as the insecure thoughts I had pushed away slammed back into me.

_What if she completely blows me off?_

_What if she's meeting with Noble?_

_What if she runs again like yesterday?_

"Hello Dimitri."

Any lingering thoughts and insecurities left as soon as she greeted me.

"Roza."

She gave me a tentative smile, and I knew I had to seize the opportunity being presented to me.

"Can I walk you home?"

If she looked surprised she didn't show it. Instead, she started walking past me.

"That's nice of you Dimitri, but I'll be fine. My apartment's only a fifteen minute walk away."

"I would still feel better if you weren't walking alone. It's rather late." I caught up to her in a few strides, thanking God when she didn't run like yesterday.

"Or the day's just getting started, depending on your schedule," she smiled as we walked along the sidewalk.

I nodded back before a silence took over us. She wasn't brushing me off or leaving, so I took that as a good sign as we strolled the streets.

"Thank you for walking with me, Dimitri." She turned to face me, allowing me the privilege of having a smile directed toward me.

"Anytime Roza," I responded truthfully.

We walked a few more blocks down before she spoke again. "Dimitri?"

I turned to look at her, questioningly.

"I'm sorry about what happened yesterday, during the jog. What I said to you, it was wrong. And I'm sorry about that." She rushed out.

I shook my head. "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked such a personal question. I of all people should know that scars can be touchy subjects." I was of course referring to the scar I had received when I was turned back, and by the way her eyes drifted down to my chest, I knew she was thinking along the same lines.

"It's nice that you can talk about your experience now," Roza commented thoughtfully.

I let out a strained chuckle. "Actually, I still don't really talk about it."

"Oh," Roza frowned.

"I only really talk about it with the people I care about, the people whom I trust completely, the people who understand me." I said intensely, hoping she would understand what I was trying to convey. The way her breathing slightly hitched and the way she adverted her eyes told me she did.

"Well," she started again after the beautiful flush left her face, "it's nice to know that I fall into that category."

She shot me a slight smile and I returned one back.

"Either way, I'm still sorry about what I said yesterday, and if it hurt your feelings. When people usually comment on my back they don't really ask for details. When I explain my job to them they usually understand." She explained.

"Completely understandable," I conceded, "most people not within our line of work don't have the stomach to hear what we go through."

"Hmmm, that's why Elite Agents usually end up with other Agents, or Guardians. They're probably the only one who has known what the other has gone through." Her comment hung in the air between us.

"The work Agents do and Guardians do are similar in many ways."

"Yes, and it can get pretty stressful at times."

"But maybe if you find the right person, they'd know how to help you."

"And if you're lucky, they'll understand the stress that can come along with the work. That it's not all just going out there, looking cool in black and throwing weapons around." She let out a light laugh.

I chuckled. "Certainly not. And if you're really, really lucky, you'll find someone who not only understands the stress and all the other onslaught of emotions that comes along with the job, but they live it too. They feel what you feel with you. They know what you need because they've gone through it too. They'll know exactly how to take care of you because they once needed that care and compassion too. They'll be understanding and kind and loving because they love you, and that all the horrible things that come along with you are part of the package. They'll be accepting because they love you, horrible moods and all."

By the time I had finished, Roza was looking at me...well, I wasn't sure how to exactly describe how she was looking at me. It was a mix of awe, surprise, and dare I say it...a smidgen of love. However the look was gone as soon I my hope grew.

She let out breathless laugh that made me feel more alive than I had been for a while.

"Well, we all hope we should be so lucky to find someone like that."

"Yes," I agreed as we gazed at each other, "we can all only hope."

Roza sighed and shook her head before meeting my eyes again.

"Well, this is me..." She gestured behind me to a cluster of apartment buildings.

I tried not to let my disappointment show. "It's a nice place."

"Yeah, it is."

"Well, I should let you get home. Training tomorrow and all."

She nodded. "Thank you For walking me home Dimitri. I really appreciate it."

"It's never a trouble, Rose. Have a nice night." I nodded as I turned back the way we came and she headed into her building.

"Dimitri!"

I had only gotten a few feet down the street when her call drew me back. She still stood at the door of her building, waiting.

"Yes?" I said, expectantly.

"Be safe walking back to Guardian headquarters okay? We want the star student to be in one piece tomorrow." Roza smiled.

I couldn't help but smile back, touched by her concern. "I will Roza, don't worry about me."

She chuckled, looking like she was debating on what to say before she finally settled on...

"Goodnight Dimitri."

"Goodnight Roza."

* * *

**Little moments guys, little moments.**

**However, one of the two BIG Romitri moments in this story will be coming up soon, so look forward for that!**

**For the little family reunion, I read as many stories I could online about people reuniting with a long lost or estranged parent. Some ended badly, and some ended well with the beginnings of a reconciliation. That's what I wanted for Aiden and Abe, so there wasn't alot of drama because in what I read, there wasn't really any unless there was built up hate and resentment and I wanted it to feel as real as possible.**

**By the way, who do I picture as Aiden?**

**Theo James.**

**Mmm, Theo James. *drools like Homer Simpson***

**Ahem, anyway...coming up in the next few chapters; a little Court update, some more training, and some downtime with our favorite mini-Belikov, pyromaniac, charming drunk, and the rest of the gang! Get excited!**

**Until next time, have a nice day wherever you are! **


	21. Partners and Paintballs

**I know, I know! Don't kill me, explanations at the end!**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Dimitri Belikov**

**_Three Weeks Later_**

"We have gathered you all here today for an important meeting." Gemina Croft stood in the small stage along with members of the Elite High Council, their gazes sharp as they swept over us.

This morning Guardians had been notified to meet at the large meeting room for an important announcement right before breakfast. So, here the majority of us were, though slightly tired and hungry.

"In your absence, we have sent groups of our own Guardians to take your place. Last night, they stopped a group of Strigoi working together from planning an attack on Court. Now-now, this is no cause for alarm-" Gemina raised her voice significantly to be heard over the rush of mutterings that had risen in the crowd.

"So are we being sent back?"

"But were just getting to the good stuff!"

"We're not ready to be sent back! We still have so much to learn!"

"But we were finally going to really start getting into sword fighting!" Nicholas frowned from beside me.

I nodded in agreement, though not for the sword fighting, even though it is rather exciting.

THWEEEET!

The chatter cut off when Agent David Reid stuck two fingers in his mouth and let out a piercing whistle. Gemina nodded at him gratefully.

"Now, as I was saying, the Moroi and Court are fine. The Moroi do not even about the plan, only our Guardians and their Guardians do and we intend to keep it that way for now. The threat was neutralized instantly, before they even managed to get their ideas off the ground. You all will be staying here to complete training. We have been tracking several Strigoi movements around the world, and for now, all seems to be calm. However, we should remember that calm can often become a prelude into chaos. That is why we have our Guardians out there while you all finish the training you need to be able to truly take on the Strigoi and whatever they bring. Anyone who disagrees or wants to return to Court can come see me after this meeting, but for now, we have some new developments that Agent Reid will deliver." She nodded toward the man before allowing him to take over.

He stepped forward confidently. "Morning all. I want to start by reiterating that Court is safe. We have the best of the best out there. Now I know some of you may be getting impatient, wondering why you are still here-"

Actually, no one was thinking that. Most people were probably thinking about training sessions for today. We had really started to pick up the pace and the sessions were just getting more and more interesting. We had been improving quickly and the instructors had seen that, allowing us more freedoms during sessions, allowing us to find out own unique fighting style as they put it. It was truly liberating here. It was nice to go back to basics, going back to the beginning and rebuilding better fighting techniques for ourselves.

And for me there was the added bonus of Roza and I managing to hold civil conversations with each other ever since the night she allowed me to walk her home. She would make little comments about my technique, good and bad, during the sessions, not often than not offering me a little smile as she walked away.

As pathetic as it sounds I lived for that little smile.

"We feel that it would be to the benefit of all if you stayed, however the decision is ultimately up to you. Remember that we do have men and women on the ground in your place, so there is no real cause for concern." Agent Reid finished up his speech, his gaze sweeping across the room before he stepped back and let Guardian Croft take over once again.

"We have spoken to some of your instructors and they all say you are all proceeding quite nicely, and for that, we applaud you. We all know first hand just how hard these trainings are, but we know that once we are done, you all will be even more equipped to take on the Strigoi. Now," Croft grinned, "in light of these new developments at Court, we Guardians here and the Elite have devised to add another component to the training." She nodded toward another one of the Elite Council members and a tall blond, Agent Matthews I believe, stepped forward.

"As you all probably know, most of the Elite Agents here are in partnerships, about seventy five percent in fact. And about fifty five percent of Guardians here are in partnerships. Now, we don't know how many of you work in pairs or if you ever have, but you will be starting next week." Agent Matthews looked around before starting again.

"Now if you have been in a pair before, we want you all to know that Elite pairs are much different than your average partnerships. Most of the classes at the Elite are taught by two instructors, who are partners so perhaps you have had a chance to observe them and see how they are. Soon you will be in their shoes, training along side your partner."

"We are in the process of pairing up you with our Guardians here in Caelum, so the partners will be announced next week. In the mean while prepare for your work load to increase slightly. We will be adding a class to get you and your new partner acquainted and that will give you some new techniques when fighting with another person by your side." Another Elite Council member, Agent Simons, added.

"You are now dismissed. If you have any questions, please come and talk to any one of us. Thank you." Head Guardian Croft nodded, as did the Council members.

A few stayed back to talk while the rest of us filed out of the hall, ablaze with opinions on the matter.

"I wonder how well this is going to turn out."

"What if we end up hating our partner?"

"What if they hate us?"

"I think it'll be cool! And we'll get to meet new people…"

"I hope I get someone epic! Then we can be a pair of epic-ness!" Nicholas enthused as we left.

"I hope you get someone who can deal with that ego of yours," Pavel snorted.

"Well I hope you get someone who isn't as much as a stick in the mud as yourself," Nicholas retorted. "Right Sergei?"

Sergei let out a gruff grunt, which the rest of us took as a yes.

We then had to part to go to our separate classes. Agents Tennant and Smith were there to greet us for the lecture part of Contemporary Combat Arts, but Isabelle and Lev were not there for training. Brushing it off, I went off to Histories of Species before leaving for lunch with Sergei and Nicholas. After lunch I headed to Basic Specialized Combat, eager to see Roza. There was just one issue with that.

Roza wasn't there.

Instead two other Agents were there in Roza and Noble's place. Agent Goss, a willowy African American woman with a pleasant smile on her face, and Agent Jude, the brawny, pale man with an apathetic demeanor.

"Where are Rose and Ben?" Someone asked the question I was thinking.

"Christian Ozera needed his Agents for something he's doing today. So for today, just for today, we will be taking over." Agent Goss' voice was just as kind as her smile.

"He needs all of them? All ten of them?" Someone else asked.

Agent Jude shrugged. "He said he needed the entire team. I think it's within the royal rights he has but was denied for years by your government." He said, shooting us a look that dared us to challenge his opinion.

No one did, the man had a point after all.

And so the session continued, Roza-less.

* * *

**Rose Mazur**

"Alright, recruits. I want nothing but your best out there! Do you hear me? I want to see two hundred percent commitment on this field! I want to see passion and glory! We will win because we have the hearts of champions, and our hearts beat as one! Now! Who's with me?"

Lev looked around the circle of our group expectantly, a slight crazed look in his eye.

"Any questions or comments?"

"I knew I should've let Jay be team captain," I muttered mournfully, though apparently not quietly as Lev shot me a hateful look while the rest of the gang chuckled.

"Alright, hands in!"

Ben, Jay, Sydney, Isabelle, Dianna, and I all put their hands on top of his, allowing him his fun.

"WE WILL DEMOLISH THEM!"

"YEAH!"

"WE WILL WREAK HAVOC ON THEIR REGIMENT!"

"YEAH!"

"WE WILL PILLAGE THEIR ARSENAL!"

"YEAH!"

"WE WILL DO THIS FOR MOTHER RUSSIA!" Lev cried.

"Seriously?" Isabelle snorted what we were all thinking.

Lev glowered.

"Shut up and win on three! One, two, three!"

"WIN!"

The group broke apart and began to sling their helmets on, protecting our heads as the padded vests protected our chests because those paintballs could do some serious damage.

Christian had gone to the Elite Council and "requested" (or demanded), that Team Eight plus Guardian Castile get time off today to accompany him on a very important "errand". This errand turned out to be paintballing with Sydney and Adrian. On this Monday afternoon, he had booked a paintball field, surprising and delighting all of us.

Our charge truly loved us.

The goal of the paintball game was essentially capture the flag. On the field were dozens of objects to take cover behind. On each side of the field was a flag, guarded by each respective team. To eliminate those of the opposite team, paint balls were used. Once you were hit twice, you were out.

In summary, it was a bad ass game, and everyone was really freaking excited.

"I don't care if you got "Mother Russia" on our side. We're gonna kick your ass bro!" Denis, the other team captain, shouted. He grinned at us before putting on his helmet and holding up his paintball gun warningly.

His team consisted of Leigha, Christian, Josh, Eddie, Adrian, and Artur.

The gang was quick to open up to my Court friends. Of course Eddie charmed everyone simply by being himself, so he was a favorite. There's a saying I like to throw around, "If you don't like Eddie or Josh, there's something wrong with you." And seriously, there is if you don't like two of the most likeable guys on the planet. Sydney, through a shocked and disbelieving the first time she had met everyone, quickly warmed to Leigha, the two of them discussing witchery and magic and all that good witchcraft stuff. And of course, Adrian just had to worm his way into the group. At first we liked to play around with him, calling him 'The Royal,' joking about how detached he was to real life due to his spirit use and royal upbringing. But then of course the man had to go and show the real, less annoying version of himself, and the gang ate it up, though we still like to rag on him for his royal status and former typical royal Moroi behavior.

"Are you ready for this, lieutenant?" Lev asked, turning to me with a mischievous smile.

I think I raised an eyebrow at him. "How did I get that position, captain?"

Lev glanced over at Jay and Ben and then, in a stage whisper, "Between you and me, they're all talk."

"Screw you, Markov. Just because I don't want to go with your plan of shoot at everything and anything, doesn't mean I suck!"

Ben meanwhile turned to me.

"So you're with him now?" Nodding toward Lev with mock disgust, "Really Love? The betrayal hurts!"

"So, I'm second in command because of my willingness to unleash the beat down?" I asked, ignoring Ben.

"We both know you and I will be the last ones on this field," he responded, slipping on his helmet.

I grinned before following suit.

Ben came to stand next to me, apparently getting over my "betrayal" quickly.

"You got my back, Mazur?" He asked as he slid his hand into mine.

I laced our fingers together and gave his hand a squeeze.

"Always."

* * *

Paintballing is something I would recommend to everyone on the planet Earth and beyond.

It is so much fucking fun.

It took capture the flag and multiplied it's awesomeness by adding paintball guns. Who knew shooting paint at your friends could be so relaxing yet exhilarating at the same time?

It was clear Denis' team had a strategy. They focused on one member of our team, all targeting that person while Adrian stayed back to guard the flag.

This strategy worked well, sadly, the first time. They got to Isabelle in the first ten minutes, easily hitting her two times.

"Damn it!" She shrieked as the computer announced her defeat.

"Player C from Team Mother Russian has been eliminated."

"You actually put in Mother Russia as our team name!?" Jay asked in disbelief.

"Shut up. I'm team captain, I get to name this team whatever I want to. Now, team huddle!"

We gathered around Lev as the computer announced a time out for Team Mother Russia. "Alright, one of you needs to go as bait, take one for the team. They'll surround us again, but now we'll surround them and just shoot them with everything we've got? Who volunteers as tribute?"

Everyone looked around and down at the suddenly fascinating ground.

"Dianna it is!"

Dianna glared her trademark glare, the glare she gave right before she unleashed her ax on some poor creature.

"Fine. But you're buying coffee for the next two weeks."

Our plan worked perfectly. Dianna, who deserves an Oscar for her performance, convincingly snuck through the field and allowed Denis' team to surround her. Our team surrounded them, and when they began to fire, all hell broke loose.

I got a shot on Christian before he ducked, while Eddie and Josh ganged up on Ben. Jay nailed two shots on Artur, as well as one on an unsuspecting Adrian.

The computer called Artur out, as he had been hit two times. Dianna also left, having been sacrificed for the greater good of Mother Russia. Eddie and Josh went off on Lev's trail while everyone else ran to re-position themselves behind barriers.

"Rose!"

I whipped my body down and my head toward Ben out of habit, just in time to dodge a blue paintball as it flew past my head. Ben appeared a few seconds later behind the barricade with me.

"Damn it!" Christian yelled, letting me know I was the intended target.

How nice of him.

I turned down to look at my partner as we hunkered down even more behind the barricade.

"Thanks," I breathed out, grinning.

"Must watch out for my girl," Ben grinned.

We pressed together even more as we heard paintballs fly past, closer to our position.

"Josh and Eddie have partnered up," he said. "No surprises there."

"My, they've partnered up have they?" I sighed exaggeratedly. "I wish I could have a partner in his horrible, horrible game." I peeked up at him through my lashes.

Ben grinned. "Alright then, partner, let's take down Christian," he said.

I laughed as Ben dramatically got up and peeked over the barricade, gun, full of deadly paint, in hand.

"Flag," I whispered, watching as Chris crept through the field toward our totally unguarded flag.

"Move, move, move!"

We shot from where they were, bursting forward to reach Christian before he could get to our flag. I fired the first shot, missing his side while Ben tried to get into a better position. Chris darted away, causing Ben and I to curse and pursue.

"I got your flank!" I shouted at Ben.

"My what?" Damn the man, he managed to raise his eyebrow while still chasing Chris who was trying to fire on him.

"Your flank!" I repeated as I shot toward Eddie who had been trying to sneak up on me from the side.

"You mean my arse?" he called back while he fired once more at Chris, missing as he darted behind a barrier.

"Well if you wanna get crude about it!" I smirked.

"She's just checking out your ass, bro!" Josh laughed, popping out from behind one of the barriers.

I felt the paintball hit me right on the chest before I could react. Fuck.

"You okay, Love?" Ben shouted.

"Yeah! But you gotta watch your own flank now!" I yelled, peering around the barrier in order to see anyone approaching.

Suddenly, the computer said, "Player B of Team Bad-assery, you're out!"

"Whoop!" Celebratory cheers rang across the field from Team Mother Russia.

"Don't worry about my flank!" Ben breathed out, "I'll get Christian! Go after Adrian!"

"You know, if you two could stop focusing so much attention on Ben's flank, or ass or arse, or whatever the hell it is, we're struggling down here!" Lev complained with a yell.

I got down and peered around the barrier once more.

"You know, when you yell we can hear where you are right?!" Denis yelled.

From the sound of his voice, I knew I was a safe distance away from him.

Oh, wretched irony.

I smirked as I stood to run.

Sorry about this, Denis.

"Player A of Team Bad-assery, you have been eliminated!" the computer said.

Aww, Leigha.

"Player B of Team Mother Russia, you have been eliminated!" the computer said once more.

I popped up to see Leigha exiting the field, looking pissed as she headed out. Jay stood only a small distance away from me, covered in red paint, obviously having been nailed. He followed Leigha, glancing around him as he did so.

Out of corner of my eye, I saw a flash of blonde hair, covering behind a barrier a few feet away. I crawled on the ground quickly and reached Lev, who nearly shot at me, his second, before figuring out who I was.

"How's it going over here?"

"Denis got me once, and then Josh narrowly got me a second time, while he positively killed Jay. Adrian is still guarding the flag, but he has a shot," Lev said seriously, so seriously I wanted to laugh.

But I didn't.

"And Eddie?"

Lev snorted in disgust. "Perfectly clean."

"Eddie got me once, which mean he's mine. Ben's going after Christian."

"I'll take Denis, you find Eddie? And if you find Eddie…" Lev started.

"You'll find Josh." We finished together.

"Let's find glory!" I grinned.

"For Mother Russia!"

"Is it just me or are you two full of adrenalin?" Ben asked as he joined us.

Lev laughed maniacally. "I'm so full of it I will not rest until we have tasted victory!"

Okay then.

A flash of blonde hair was visible from a few barriers away, and I took off running. Lev did the same in another direction, Ben in another.

Lev finished off Denis with one well-placed shot while Ben got a hit on Christian. I chose to go stealth on my mission to destroy the Eddie-Josh Bromance, ducking and weaving through the barriers, getting closer and closer.

I got a shot on Josh, but narrowly missed begin shot again by Eddie as he fired and ducked, not seeing if he hit me target or not. I crouched down, plotting.

"Player D of Team Bad-assery, you have been eliminated!" I popped my head over the barrier to watch Christian stalk off the field.

Now it was down to Lev, Ben, Sydney and I for Team Mother Russia. Eddie, Josh and Adrian remained for Team Bad-assery.

We so got this.

"How many shots are you at?" Ben yelled from a distance, attempting to guard our flag.

"One! You?" I called back.

"Same!"

"Rose! Get the freaking flag and run like hell!" Jay yelled from the sidelines.

"Finish him, Ben!" I yelled as I took off running.

I quickly weaved through the barriers and sprinted toward the flag.

"Player E of Team Bad-assery, you have been eliminated."

"Fuck!" Eddie bemoaned as Josh exited the field, though this was good news for me as his outburst had given me a general direction of where he was.

"Reminder to all remaining players that in order to win the player with the flag must make their way to the end of the field, where the barriers end," came the reminder from that damn computer.

Here, several things happened at once.

I let out a shot that missed Eddie. This alerted him to my location, and he began shooting back at me. Ben saw this and came to my aid. Now Eddie was shooting at both of us as we attempted to maneuver closer toward the flag…which we, in bad form, had forgotten that Adrian was guarding. To make a long story short…

Eddie got me.

Ben and I got Eddie.

Adrian got Ben.

What the fuck had just happened?

"Player B from Team Mother Russia, you have been eliminated."

"Player E from Team Mother Russia, you have been eliminated."

"Player C from Team Bad-assery, you have been eliminated."

"Shit!" Came the collective reply from Ben, Eddie, and I.

We stalked off the field together and joined the rest of the gang, who were shocked at the triple elimination.

I looked down at my paint splattered outfit when I noticed it.

"Eddie! You perv!" I shrieked as I saw where he had hit me.

Right on the boob.

"I'm the perv? Look at what you did!" Eddie cried, twisting around so I could see when I hit him…right on the left ass cheek.

Now, I would be lying if I said I didn't laugh at all. But I'm mature now, so I only snickered a bit, then snapped a quick picture for the blackmail archives.

"Guys? You realize what this means right?"

"There are three players left…"

Lev.

Sydney.

Adrian.

"Lev! Remember Mother Russia!"

"You got it Sydney!"

"We know he's your boyfriend and you love him, but right now, kick his fucking ass!"

"Get your shit together, Adrian!"

And so the rest of us became the cheerleaders. Vulgar ones.

Adrian had no choice but to abandon his post and go for our flag, which had no one guarding it anyway as Sydney and Lev were occupied with other things. Surprisingly, Adrian managed to get the flag, just as Lev managed to capture his.

Now it was a race to the end of the barriers.

Adrian ran.

Lev ran.

Sydney stalked.

Adrian seemed to have forgotten about his girlfriend.

Big mistake.

The royal was just nearing the end of the barriers when Sydney, sweet Sydney, his own devoted girlfriend, leaped out from behind the very last barrier, gun ready and posed.

Could she really shoot her own boyfriend?

Well, apparently, she could and would with no remorse.

She fired two shots in quick succession, getting Adrian right on the stomach.

"Player B of Team Bad-assery, you have been eliminated."

"Team Mother Russian wins."

"Yeaaaah! Sydney!"

"You go girl!"

"I knew you had it in you!"

"I told you she was the shit!" Lev roared with laughter as the rest of the team crowded around our prized secret weapon. Hey, you got to keep those hidden so no one will suspect your true master plan.

Meanwhile, over on Team Bad-assery, they were consoling each other and assuring Adrian that he did his best.

Sydney left the cocoon we had formed around her and headed towards her boyfriend, a slight smirk gracing her features.

"You know what that reminds me of?" She grinned, nodding at the paint splatters on his shirt.

We all settled down and listened eagerly.

"What you did you Valentine's Day."

Sydney's grin widened even more.

Adrian blanched.

"Babe, please. Do we really need to tell-"

"What'd he do Syd?" Dianna interrupted.

"Yes! Do tell!" Isabelle smirked.

"Well, you know those tubes of icing chocolate you can get in the baking aisle? Well he-"

"Shoot me, shoot me now," Adrian groaned.

"Shhhh! Later! Let the girl finish her story." Artur grinned.

"Anyway, as I was saying…he went down to the store and got a tube. Then he laid himself out on our bed shirtless, and wrote 'Sydney's Love Bug' across his chest. Then he told me to lick it off of him."

It went dead silent for about five seconds before all hell broke loose.

"Oh how the mighty have fallen…" I wheezed out from between gasps of laughter.

"Mate…" Ben and Jay said in stereo, smiles twitching from the corners of their lips.

"Oh my God! Oh my God!" Leigha and Dianna gasped out from between giggles.

"It hurts! It fucking hurts!" Eddie and Josh roared with laughter, leaning on either side of me while clutching their sides.

Isabella shook her head in mock disgust while the Three Musketeers fell to the ground laughing.

"And that is prime blackmail material! Thanks Sydney!" Christian smirked as he shook from trying not to laugh.

"Babe!" Adrian whined as Sydney laughed and placed a big kiss on his cheek.

After about ten minutes we managed to compose ourselves enough to get changed and head out for dinner.

We broke into smaller groups as we strolled down the sidewalk towards our dinner destination. I smiled as I looked around, seeing all of my dearest friends getting along so well with one another. Today had truly been epic, begin able to just let loose for a change. Don't get me wrong, training was fun as well, and there I got to see Dimitri, but sometimes a girl just needs time out with her friends. A quick check of my phone told me that training was over for the day. I wondered how they got on without us there. I wondered how they reacted to the partner news.

I'm sure they would be fine with being partnered up, after all…

I looped my arm through Ben's as we continued down the street.

He turned to wink at me.

Partners are pretty damn epic.

Well, mine is at least.

* * *

**Okay, okay I know! It's been nearly three weeks since I've updated. My only explanation to you all is that school started and my shifts at work got changed around, so I'm basically learning a whole new schedule right now. I promise, after I figure out how to manage time better, updates will go back to their normal schedule.**

**Also, I do apologize for the errors found here. I will fix them later on but right now, I just needed to get this up.**

**Now, onto the good stuff…**

**The Guardians will be getting partners!**

**Who do you think Dimitri's partner will be? Here some hints to help you out…**

**-you all know him**

**-but he has not been in this story yet**

**-a major clue can be found in the ****_Mirrors_**** chapter three chapters back**

**Haha! Happy guessing!**

**Now, because you all were so patient with waiting for this chapter, some sneak snippets/quotes from the next one! And next chapter, how to be a kickass partner 101!**

**Rose strolled into the room and stopped when she spotted the Guardian waiting for her at the front of the room. She let out a squeal and ran into his open arms. He picked her up and spun her around a few times, the two of them laughing. After the man had set her down, she grinned up at him, placed her hand on his cheek and said, "My favorite Russian."**

**"There is a bun in the oven!"**

**"We eloped like…three hours ago."**

**"I love you, Ben-Ben."**

**Have a nice day wherever you are!**


	22. How To Be the Perfect Partner 101

**I know this took forever! Forgive me? I also know that this is a little on the shorter side! Forgive me for that as well?**

**Explanations at the end!**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Eddie Castile**

"How do you feel about your partner?"

_"I love you man!"_

_"I love you too bro!"_

The room reverberated with laughs as we watched the two men, Agent Avers and Agent Carlyle, trap each other into hugs that were an interesting combination between affectionate and violent.

We had been given today off in preparation for the partner experiment. First on the agenda was to watch a video on being in a partnership-how to be a partner 101. Secondly, we would all be divided and then go off into separate classrooms where an Elite Agent and a Guardian would be there to answer any questions we would have on anything so far before being swept off to meet our newly assigned partners.

The actual video had been very informative, listening to the Elite and Guardian pairs chosen to be in the video talking about their experiences with one another and within their respective organizations. The video was working very much like an interview would; with somebody off camera asking the pair a question that they would answer, or rather, attempt to answer. We had been getting to know more about the personalities of the Agents and Guardians than we were learning about how to be the "perfect" partner. The most poignant and touching part of the video had been with two questions.

"Where would you be without your partner?"

"_Can I say dead? Or is that too morbid?" _

"_Dead. Like dead dead. Not undead like right now."_

"_Well, depending on how fast Elite response teams could reach me…lying in the Amazon rain forests, slowly bleeding, or dead."_

"_Lunch for a bunch of Raeger demon."_

"_Dessert for a bunch of Raeger demon."_

"_I…I don't want to think about it."_

"_You know my back?" Rose's solemn eyes regarded the camera. "It'd be, without a doubt, worse. Or I'd be lying in a ditch in the woods…bleeding out. Though I'd probably be all bled out by now…"_

"_You see this arm?" Ben stretched out his left arm, "It wouldn't be here. Same goes for this leg, which would be a shame considering I'm quite fond of both," he patted his right leg._

"What does it mean to be a partner?"

"_Not ditching the person who is putting their total and complete faith on you."_

"_Always being there for your partner when they need you-off the field and on."_

"_Going back for your partner."_

"_Never leaving anyone behind."_

"_Never being alone."_

"_You'll always have an anchor in this world, to help you out when shit hits the fan, as it does happen sometimes in life," Rose smiled slightly, turning to look at Ben._

"_Those days when life sucks, and we all have those days, sometimes your partner will do something, maybe a big thing, maybe a little thing, and suddenly, your days sucks so much less." Ben shrugged nonchalantly before returning Rose's smile. _

And of course, it wouldn't be a proper video without some good bloopers put in at the end, for our entertainment.

"_I am quite fond of you. Yes, quite fond."_ Rose said in an accent that was somewhere between an American one and a British one, sitting up in her seat and crossing her legs primly.

Video Ben shrugged_. "You 'ight I guess,"_ he drawled in a surprisingly accurate New York style accent.

The crowd burst into laughter along with video Rose, who smacked the chuckling video Ben.

"_Never do that again!"_ She shrieked from in between laughs.

So far, questions had included…

"How did you two meet?"

"_I insulted him!" Rose smiled brightly._

"_I made her cry," Ben smiled simply before turning to return the cheerful grin Rose shot him._

"Are you close?"

"_Right now?" Ben quirked up an eyebrow while turning to look down at the centimeter of space between his chair and Rose's chair._

"_Yes, yes right now, we are really close," Rose finished, leaning even closer toward Ben. _

"Why did you decide to choose to enter a partnership?"

"_Because I could not bear the thought of not seeing this beautiful face every day_."

Ben laid the charm on thick for that one. Hell, I could hear female Guardians in the audience right now swooning.

I could also hear someone, giant and Russian, grinding their teeth from the seat behind me.

Video Rose critically eyed Video Ben. _"I'm questioning my career choices now."_

"Oooh!" Came a simultaneous coo from the audience as Ben got up from the chair and walked away.

"_Wait! I was exhibiting some of that dry humor you love! Come back!"_ Rose cried dramatically as she leapt from her seat and left to follow Ben, leaving the frame devoid of people.

"_What?"_ Heidi Matthews leaned forward a bit as the scene cut to her and her partner, David Reid.

"_Noble and Mazur stormed off?"_ She laughed.

"_Oh my,"_ Agent Reid smirked.

"_Who left first? Noble? Interesting, usually it's the opposite,"_ Agent Matthews noted.

"Do you regret that decision?"

"_Yes!"_ Ben deadpanned, having gotten back in his seat, though his eyes were wide with restrained laughter.

Beside him Rose started to shake slightly before she threw herself at him, her arms clinging on to his shoulders.

"_NO! I love you Ben-Ben! With all of my cold, black heart! I love you more than my shoe collection, my tea collection, my doughnut - well, I wouldn't actually go that far…"_ Rose stopped to ponder with a legit thinking face on while Ben laughed hysterically.

"_I almost beat doughnuts! Yes! Rose Mazur loves me! I can die a happy man now…"_

Rose shot him a look.

"_Oh yes, I love you too my Darling-est Love,"_ he replied, wrapping an arm around her, pulling her close and kissing the top of her head.

"Awww," came the response from the audience.

"They are so banging."

"She'd be stupid not to get together with him."

"Five years. They've had five years together! They must have done something…"

Damn, when did Guardians get so nosy?

And cue the Russian teeth grinding again.

"Calm down man, it's all speculation. Plus, that cannot be good for your teeth," one of Abe's Guardians, Nicholas probably, whispered. Though he was doing a pretty crappy job considering I could still hear him.

I heard a slight huff from my left and turned a bit to see a rather unimpressed looking Janine Hathaway.

Back on the screen, Video Rose frowned. _"You got your saliva in my hair!"_

"_That's right, now a part of me will always be on your head…until you shower tonight anyway, I guess"_ Ben shrugged as Rose wrinkled her nose.

"What is your favorite memory with your partner?"

"_That hug like ten seconds ago," _Agent Avers laughed.

"_Totally man, that shit touched my heart!"_ Agent Carlyle agreed.

"_The day she introduced me to Russell, that was the greatest day of my life!"_ Agent Reid sighed happily.

Agent Matthews rolled her eyes. _"Russell was my then boyfriend, now husband. This one here," _she pointed to her partner, _"was happier than I that I had a boyfriend."_

"_And you know why!? Because it meant that I could stop getting her coffee in the morning, I could stop being dragged shopping; I could stop getting her damn tampons because all that shit was his responsibility now!"_ Agent Reid cackled while Agent Matthews rolled her eyes.

"_He actually said that to him their first meeting, after he released Russell from that chokehold he calls a hug."_

"That was a glorious day," Agent Reid sighed.

Agent Matthews narrowed her eyes slightly before turning back to the camera with a serene smile. _"I've never experienced that feeling. This one here is a socially awkward man, always has been all thirty five years I've known him. Oh wait, that's not true! Remember when you had a girlfriend back in the day? But then you let her go! You let her go!" _She huffed, crossed her arms and legs.

"_She was more upset with the breakup than we were,"_ Agent Reid staged whispered before the scene cut away to my favorite Elite duo.

"_My favorite memory with Ben…hmm, probably the first glimpse of him I get every day when we meet up in the morning. I see him from across the street and he's coming toward me and I reach out and…grab the box of doughnuts from him, and I know my morning is complete!" _Rose sighed dreamily while Ben snorted.

"_My favorite memory with you is when I see you from across the street with my coffee because let's be honest here, without the coffee, you're just a faceless blob to me." _

"_Wait, what!?"_ Rose began, but thankfully the scene jumped to another duo before Rose could dramatically storm off.

"Tell us, has there ever been any sexual tension? Any sparks?"

"_I can honestly say that, in the thirty five years I've known David," _Heidi Matthews began, _"I have never felt the 'sexual tension.' I mean, first off all I'm not his type, he's not mine. He likes sandy-blondes with pixie cuts and I could never pull off a pixie cut. And secondly, I'd rather kiss a Slyme Serpent than this man sitting next to me, no offense."_

"_Yeah, I'd take the Slyme serpent as well. I mean your lips look dry as fuck – damn, we weren't supposed to swear!" _Agent Reid frowned, not even noticing the slap to his shoulder from Agent Matthews.

"_Oh God! Can you not feel the sexual tension between us!? Can you not?!" _

"_Oh my God! Can you not feel the sparks between us? Can you not see them? Because there are, there are beautiful, beautiful sparks between us!"_

"_How do you not see how clearly in love we are! Wait, maybe it's not as obvious…put in a cheesy Taylor Swift song and we'll pose like those people on those trashy romance novels and then you'll see!"_

"_We're in an open relationship."_

"_Sparks? Why would there be sparks between us? That sounds dangerous!"_

"_God, the sexual tension just gets to me all the time! Just look at this sexy piece I got as a partner! I mean, take off your shirt!"_

"_That would be so much more convincing if you weren't giggling."_

"_What, you mean you didn't know!? Damn, Love we forgot to tell them!"_ Ben grinned as he and Rose sat up straighter in their seats.

"_Darn! Us and our short attention spans. We're sorry, we forgot to do a press release!"_

"_Yes, yes! Deepest apologies because, we eloped…like three hours ago!"_

"_Mhmm, and here's the even better news! There is a bun in the oven!"_ Rose cheered, patting her stomach.

"_Yes, yes there is! About an hour ago I walked in the room, looked at her and bam! Our sexual eye tension created the miracle of life! We'll start accepting gifts next week!"_

I couldn't take it anymore. That last question got to me and evidentially got to most of the crowd because the room exploded with raucous laughter over all the responses from the Guardians and Agents in the video.

Even Janine Hathaway let out a little smile at the antics of the Agents and Guardians, of her daughter and her partner. And from behind me I could hear Pavel trying to cajole Belikov into some laughter.

"Come on man, you have to admit that last part was funny and you know it. Come on."

Sadly though, the video ended shortly after that, which meant we were one step closer to meeting out partners.

"Now we want you all to remember, the opinions and views expressed in this video are the views of the Agents and Guardians themselves, and do not necessary reflect views and opinions of the Elite or Guardians at large. Just remember that…please." Gemina Croft smirked slightly as the video ended and the screen turned blank again.

"Also, remember, we shot this video rather early in the morning, so most of these people in the video were rather sleep deprived," Agent Salvati looked like he was trying very hard not to laugh.

"And some…they just like act that all the time," Agent Vincent's massive shoulders shook as it looked like he was attempting not to laugh.

"We hoped that video informed and entertained you. Some of the insights you have gotten are invaluable and we hope you remember them. However, what we hope you really remember, the point of the video; how to be the perfect partner," Agent Courcous added.

"Being the perfect partner does not mean you are superman or superwoman, running around assisting your partner, but rather; it is all about the relationship you form with them. The strong bond we all want you and your partner to create. As you saw with the video, our Agents and Guardians work amazingly well on the job, on the field, but they also forged a bond off the clock. That bond you form away from work will be essential to you and your partner's success so, please, take this seriously, but also, have a little fun.

"You will now go on to the next item on the agenda, which is a small meeting with one of our Agents and one of our Guardians. During this time, feel free to ask any questions you currently have, and they will try to the best of their ability to answer them. You will receive directions to the room you are to report to on your way out the door." Guardian Croft finished out as she and the Elite Council members filed off the stage.

**Dimitri Belikov**

"How's the baby Rose!?" Castile yelled as he paused in the doorway of the classroom he was placed in.

"Lovely. Rose Jr. can't wait to meet her dear Uncle Eddie!" Rose cooed back as she passed by.

I shook my head at their antics and went into the room I was assigned to. Maybe I did find the extras in the video amusing, but that did not mean that I was going to admit it.

The Guardian who would be speaking to us was already there at the front of the room, busy on his phone, where I could hear him softly speaking a few words of Russian to whoever was on the other end of the conversation. He had the classic Russian features and was about a few inches shorter than mine I assumed, with hair that looked similar to my color, but his was cut short.

I took a seat and wait for others to arrive, including the Agent that was supposed to be joining the Guardian up front.

God must have been smiling down on me because a few minutes later the Agent came in.

Roza.

However, God also seems to have a rather twisted sense of humor, as Roza reacted to seeing the Guardian in front.

Roza strolled into the room and stopped.

By this time the Guardian had finished his conversation on the phone and turned to Roza, a broad grin on his face.

She let out a squeal and ran into his open arms, so joyfully, you'd think the two were lovers reuniting after a long time spent apart.

Of course that _had_ to be the thought that entered my mind.

Said Guardian picked her up and spun her around a few times, the two of them laughing at the front of the room. Afterwards, the man had set her down, but had not released her from his grasp. Roza didn't seem to mind as she looked up at the man and grinned up at him, placed her hand on his check and said, "My favorite Russian!"

* * *

**Hey guys! I'm sorry this took three weeks to get up, but with school and work, things have been hectic lately! I am sincerely sorry, but I think it would be more realistic to start expecting updates every two to three weeks from now on, or until I get my shit together, which I promise I will!**

**Now that that's over...**

**I hoped you enjoyed the chapter! It turned out to be just a nice, light chapter, slightly filler-ish. This was meant to be longer, but that would have taken me longer to write and I didn't want to keep you guys waiting for any longer so I cut out meeting Dimitri's partner. But I also cut this short because no one managed to guess who his partner is going to be! I truly believe at least one of you can figure it out so I'm giving you guys one more chance with some clues...**

**\- he/she was in this chapter**

**-theater**

**\- again, major clue in _Mirrors_**

**\- we know this person...but he/she is not a character from the books**

**Haha! Twist! Good luck figuring this out guys!**

**Here, I'll provide some incentive!**

**If you can correctly guess who Agent Reid's former flame was...you'll get a major clue as to who this secret partner is from me. (**Think! Who was the one who brought the Guardians from St. Vlads to Caelum...?)****

**If you can correctly guess who it is, I'll give you a sneak peak at the next chapter.**

**Hey, the sooner we get through this partner set up stuff, the sooner we get back to Romitri! ;) And I got some good stuff planned in regards to Romitri!**

**Also, I need some questions from you guys! I'll be doing a Q&amp;A type chapter soon, so if you could ask Rose and Ben anything, and I mean ANYTHING. what would it be? Leave your question in a review and I look forward to reading them!**

**Of course, you don't have to do all this! Just please review? I really do get excited when I see one pop up in my inbox!**

**As always, have a nice day wherever you are! XOXO**


	23. The Partner

**This chapter is dedicated to and Gointooblivion, who figured out who the partner was! Congrats you smartie pants! **

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Rose Mazur**

I shrieked with laughter as the large Russian finished spinning me around and set me down. We grinned twin grins as we wrapped our arms around each other before pulling away.

"Danila."

"Rose."

"How have you been? Did you just get back from St. Petersburg? "

"Yes, yes I did. Just last night."

"How was it?"

"Amazing. You have to go one day-"

"Maybe I will," I smirked, "of course I'll need a guide…"

"Oh I would like nothing more, Rose! You have to come to visit and I will take you everywhere. The Winter Palace, the Summer Garden-"

I couldn't help but smile at the man's enthusiasm as he spoke about his hometown.

I had met Guardian Danila Kozlov at the Elite graduation ceremony three years ago and our friendship grew from there. For the Elite graduation ceremony, security was provided by the Guardians so we Agents so join in on the festivities and vice versa during the Guardian graduation ceremony. He had been standing guard near me and we had gotten to chatting during the short period of time before the ceremony actually started. He had just come to the States and was asking me about good food spots in Caelum. Me being me, of course delved deeply into the food topic and Danila, being a foodie as well, eagerly listened. So our conversation drifted into Russian cuisine and culture, our dream travel destinations, work aspirations and so on. Throughout the years the man had become a great friend to me, becoming like an older brother. I would be lying if I said Danila did not remind me of Dimitri. Of course they were both Russian, both rather intense, well read, and kickass Guardians. Danila even resembled Dimitri a bit, though shorter in height and hair length, they both had the chiseled bone structure and soulful dark brown eyes. Basically, Danila was one handsome devil. Where they differed a bit was in personality. While Dimitri was silent and stoic most of the time, Danila knew how to let loose a little, and his smile and laughter were infectious. While Dimitri enjoyed reading his Western, Danila enjoy being on stage, performing; in fact, he works on the side at the theater in Little Russia. Also, Danila's accent is much thicker and pronounced than Dimitri's, making women everywhere swoon.

"-and of course if you come to St. Petersburg, one day I might go to Istanbul and-" Danila continued.

"I'll be there," I interrupted excitedly, "and we can stuff ourselves with all sorts of delights. The perfect way to spend a vacation with my favorite Russian."

He grinned that grin at me and I couldn't help but return it before I realized we had work to do.

Turning back to the Guardians who had gathered into the room, I saw that most of them had already arrived and were chatting amongst themselves .

"Shall we get started?" Danila asked.

"We shall," I smiled. "Hello everybody, I'm Agent Mazur."

"And I'm Guardian Kozlov."

"And we'll be answering any questions you have for us today. Let's just get started."

* * *

**Dimitri Belikov**

I stare at the man beside Roza. From their earlier embrace and discussion it was clear that they were friendly with one another.

The question is how friendly. And how did they know each other? How far did their relationship go? What relationship did they have? Who is Guardian Danila Kozlov?

These questions plagued me as my fellow Guardians asked the pair questions about training, what changes were to come, the "correct" way to bond with our new partner, whether we were going to receive charges (which apparently, we were), why was the food served here so delicious, and more mundane questions. I half listened to them as I observed their body language with on another. They interactions read that they were nothing but friends, but I have learned, of course Roza and Noble are nothing but friends...as far as we all know.

"Okay! It looks like we're at time. It's time for you guys to meet your partners. Please head to the Guardian High Common room, there you will find some giant screens with your name and the name of your partner. Then, go try to find your partner, it'll be like a treasure hunt! Have fun!" Rose smirked as we got up and began to file out.

"Maybe one of you will be lucky enough to be the partner of the great Guardian Kozlov!"

Rose's words followed us out of the room.

* * *

Apparently it was my lucky day.

_Dimitri Belikov - Danila Kozlov_

"Well, looks like you won't have to work that hard to find your partner," the now familiar English accent commented.

I turned to find Ben Noble along with Roza; Roza smiling whilst Noble had an enigmatic expression on his face.

Their arms were intertwined.

"Danila's right over there," Roza pointed across the room, pat the crowds of Guardians still searching for their partner, and paired Guardians chatting, to the other side near the door here the man stood, scanning the crowd.

"Go to him," Noble said.

"Fulfill your destiny," Roza nodded solemnly while Noble snorted.

"You make it sound like they're a fated couple."

"Well, aren't they?"

"They're partners, paired together by a group of our bosses."

"I cannot believe that's how to view partnerships! I mean, what about us? How do you see us?!" Roza got more and more passionate, though her mischievous smile got wider and wider as Noble rolled his eyes.

I walked away towards my partner. I'd seen enough for one day.

Danila met me in the middle and we regarded each other cautiously.

"привет"

"привет"

"Danila Kozlov, nice to meet you"

"Dimitri-"

"Belikov. The Great Dimitri Belikov, your reputation precedes you even here. So nice to finally meet the man behind the name."

I was stunned. "Well, I look forward to working with you."

"Like wise."

We stood, soundless for a minute.

"I know a great restaurant where we can talk for a bit? It's in Little Russia, rather popular and really good food. And you can meet Finn, my-our new charge I guess."

"Sounds good."

Danila and I sat in _Pierogi,_ the restaurant owned by my new charge, Finn Maslow. I had met the lean, blonde Moroi man briefly in the kitchen. He was rather busy chopping rapidly at the time; stopping only briefly to shoot me a wide smile and a clap on the back with promises of good food delivered directly to our table before Danila led me out of the busy kitchen.

"Finn makes good food, you'll enjoy it. Almost like home."

"I can tell." I looked around the crowded space. _Pierogi_ was a small restaurant, but modern and gave off an intimate yet casual atmosphere.

"So Danila, tell me more about yourself," I prompted to break up the slightly awkward atmosphere.

And so he did.

He was born in St. Petersburg and it still remained to this day his favorite city in the world. He enjoyed the theater, and did some acting on the side. He was most recently in a play that ran at the theater in Little Russia, _Love and Intrigue_, it was called. He had graduated from his academy two years ahead of me, and had been assigned to one of the older Contas before the man had passed from natural causes. After that he was assigned to Rasiumkov, basically the Other Realm's version of Moscow, to teach at an academy there before Finn had requested him as a Guardian. The man also enjoyed karaoke, apparently, as he recounted an amusing instance where he dragged Roza to a karaoke bar and refused to let her leave until she did one song with him. I discovered we had largely the same music tastes; however, we diverged with book taste, he preferring mysteries to my Westerns.

Overall, the man was quite friendly, though rather talkative. As the night drew on and the food, which consisted of modern twists of Russian classics, was happily consumed, along with the very nice bottle of Finn's nicest vodka, I found myself talking a bit more with the man, even enjoying his company.

Perhaps it really was my lucky day.

We parted ways back at Elite Headquarters, but not before making arrangements to get breakfast with one another in the morning.

I seemed that things were getting better now. For so long my life consisted of work and for so long I was ravaged by guilt. It took me a while to forgive myself for what I had done during my time on the other side of the battle. I consider myself better than I was five years ago, when Roza left. I had already thought my world was over, plunged into darkness when I was returned, but I was wrong. My world really went dark the day I walked into Roza's empty room, and saw that she had truly left Court. Left behind the Princess. Left behind everything she had worked so hard for. I was plagued by my own horrid thoughts for weeks.

_I chased away my only love._

_She left because of what I said._

_If only I had gone to her the second I was turned back…_

_If only I could turn back time…_

That last thought stuck with me for so long, haunted me the most.

_If only…_

_No._

I shook myself out of it as I was getting ready the next morning.

I could not change the past, but I could change my future, which for years had looked rather bleak. But now, now that I was here, in Caelum, away from Court and with Roza? I could feel the heavy sorrow and darkness that pinned me down every day for the past five years begin to dissipate.

Roza was here, and I would do everything in my power to correct the horrible mistake I made all those years ago.

I would make sure of that.

That was the thought that drove me as I arrived at the dining hall. I scanned the room, looking for Danila, and found him after a few seconds in a booth near the back.

He was with Roza.

He was looking intently at her while she spoke in a hushed, rapid tone. He was nodding along and said something, to which Roza nodded. Roza said something once again, and then grabbed the man's hand and looked intently at him.

What are they doing and what could they possibly be talking about?

I started walking toward them slowly, when apparently, their conversation ended. Roza stood from the booth, smiled and waved at Danila as she exited through another exit. Danila had a thoughtful look on his face.

I headed toward the booth and greeted the man.

"доброе утро," I greeted at I took a seat.

"доброе утро," the man greeted back, though I now noticed him regarding me slightly differently now.

We did not say anything as we decided what to order. Nor did we engage in any conversation as we placed the orders. After about ten minute of complete silence, I was about to ask if anything was wrong when-

"Tell me Dimitri," Danila learned forward and lowered his voice, "about the relationship between you and one Miss Rosemarie Mazur."

* * *

**Rose Mazur**

"Good morning Danila," I greeted as I slid into the booth the Russian was currently occupying.

"Ah! Rose, good morning!" He greeted back enthusiastically as he set down his newspaper. "How are you? Do you want to join me and Dimitri for some breakfast?"

I had to grin at the man's cheerfulness.

"I actually can't today. I'm meeting up with Ben later."

"I understand. Partners and all."

"Speaking of, congratulations on your new partner. He's one of the best Guardians I know, you'll be great together. "

"Thank you Rose. I can only hope that one day we'll be as legendary as the great Mazur and Noble. " He chuckled.

"With both of your combined talents? I have no doubt you two will be giving Ben and I a run for our money, but I actually came here to talk to you about something."

His face shifted to concern. "What is wrong Rosemarie? Is something the matter with work? Do you need help?"

"Actually yes, yes it is."

His heavy brows furrowed in confusion and concern.

"It's about Dimitri."

"It must be slightly odd for the two of you, having the tables turned with him as the student now and you the mentor," Danila mused.

I chuckled a bit, "I'm quite enjoying it actually."

"Haha!" Danila barked out. "I'm sure you are, Rosemarie, I'm sure you are."

I joined in with his laughter before settling down.

"I'm just here you impart upon you some wisdom about the famous Dimitri Belikov."

"Ah, I see. Well, you do probably know him the best out of everybody. What do you want to tell me?" Danila's eyebrows raised in curiosity.

"Don't let him be alone."

Danila looked shocked. "Excuse me?"

"Don't let him be alone. He puts on these airs that he's okay with being a loner, that he doesn't need people to be okay, but that's not true. Everyone needs people, friends and family, in their lives. His are in a whole other dimension, in a whole other country. He has a reputation as an anti-social God, but deep down, he needs people, he needs friends. I'm sure you heard of what happened to him and what he went through when he was changed back. I've been told he never really talked to anyone about it, and that's not healthy, keeping emotions bottled up like that while isolating yourself. He's been alone for too long, Danila. He's had to deal with so much shit over the past five years, alone. So I'm asking you, if he every wants to talk to you about what happened, please listen to him. Don't let him be anti-social. Be his friend, Danila. Please."

The Russian regarded me with large eyes.

"Promise me," I grabbed his hand.

He seemed to shake out of whatever trance he was in, and nodded solemnly.

"Of course, Rosemarie. I promise."

I felt the relief seep into me as I stood and readied to leave. "Thank you Danila."

* * *

"**привет" - Hello**

**"доброе утро" - Good Morning**

**Well guys, I finally updated! Hope this chapter was worth the wait, I know it is more of a filler, but we are now done with the partner set up and can move on! We'll be having more Romitri now (FINALLY) and some more training action.**

**Also, very few of you figured out it was Danila! Haha! I enjoyed reading all of your answers and theories a lot, but I have to give another shout out to the people who did figure it out! You guys did good.**

**Also, I want to note that, yes, I do know that Danila Kozlovsky's last name is Kozlovsky. However, FanFiction does not allow including actual, "real" people in stories, so his last name has been adjusted to Kozlov.**

**I want to thank you all for being so patient with me, that really means a lot.**

**Now, for those of you who are not so patient...**

**I first off want to say thank you for your enthusiasm with this story! It means a lot that you like my little story on this little part of the internet. But that's just what this is. A story on the internet. I know I take longer to update now, but that's just the way it is. I have a part time job where my manager keeps forgetting I told her I can't work certain days and keeps scheduling me anyway. Also, I'm in university now, and if you haven't experienced university yet, just know it is very different from high school. This was late because of midterms, which kicked my ass. I did not forget this story, and I really wanted to update, but its hard when you have exams, three essays, and a presentation all due within two weeks of one another. To me, my academics will always come first, and I'm not sorry about that. So you all who constantly just fill my inbox with;**_** "Update now!" "Why haven't you updated? It's been awhile!" "Update update update update update!", **_**o****r my personal favorite,**_** "Have a heart and update,"**_** thank you for enjoying my writing, and I'm hearing you but remember, I have a life, just as you have a life.**

**Also, I have NO plans to abandon this story. Just because it now takes me longer to update, does not mean I am throwing in the towel. I absolutely will finish this story, and I even have plans for more stories in the future. If I were to abandon this story, I would post that and tell you all.**

**Now that that's done...**

**Because I'm anticipating another hectic month for November, I'm going to give you all a little something for the road. In honor of reaching over 650 reviews because you all you beautiful people of the internet, I will send a sneak peak of the next chapter, under certain conditions.**

**Leave me a review that answers these following questions, and I'll give you a sneak peak!**

**1) Ben or Dimitri, and why?**

**2) If you could ask Rose and Ben any question you want, what would it be and why?**

**3) What do you want to see in the upcoming chapters?**

**Answer these questions to get the sneak peak! Of course also feel free to just tell me what you thought of the chapter! But I feel like you'll want a sneak peak considering it includes this scene in it…**

"_**Dimitri? Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?"**_

**Well, this note has gone long for enough, and I have a six page essay to get back to. So for now, I bid you all, farewell! Have a nice day/night wherever you happen to be!**


	24. Trusting the Partner

**How about a little Dimitri?**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Dimitri Belikov**

I stared at the man across from me in shock.

He simply stared back with an unwavering gaze, sipping from his coffee cup.

"Rose? Hathaway?"

"I believe it is Mazur now, but yes, her," Danila took another sip of coffee.

"She was my student."

"Yes, that is public knowledge. The question is," Danila leaned forward once again, "about your relationship out of the gym."

If only the man knew about what happened behind closed gym doors…

"I'm confused –"

"Stop insulting my intelligence. If we are going to be partners, I think that honesty should be established."

The terseness of the man's tone gave me pause. He had a point, a very good point. However, he was also a man I had just met. Yes, he was possibly the closest person I had right now and the one with the least information on me. Yes Pavel and Nicholas had become rather close acquaintances of mine, but they already had prior knowledge on my relationship with Roza. They were part of the world I came from so they knew about my past, but they had been willing to look past that, something most people at Court had not been able to do. But Danila is an intelligent man; he would have done his research on me, like a well-informed Guardian would, and if he did do some research, he was still very welcoming toward me. Still, the nagging question. Yes he was my new partner, and yes trust was important, but was his status enough to warrant him the story of my and Roza's relationship? Was I willing to divulge my most cherished secret to him after knowing him for simply a day?

"We were close," I finally let out.

The man simply blinked.

"How close?" He quirked up an eyebrow. "Closer than a mentor and student should be?"

I think my silence answered his question.

Danila blew out a breath and then leaned against his seat. He took another fortifying sip of his coffee before looking back to me. I saw no judgment in the man's face; he simply seemed pensive, no doubt formulating an appropriate response.

It remained silent for a minute.

It remained silent while the waitress returned with our food and set it in front of us.

It remained silent while I cut into my Western omelet and prepared to take a bite…or, it was until-

"Shit, man."

I rose my eyes to meet his, which were currently wide with disbelief.

"Rose Mazur. Damn man, I mean…she's…she's_ something_…" Danila trailed off, a distant look in his eye.

I felt my body tense up. "Did you and Roza ever…"

"Oh God _no_!" Danila's eyes went even wider as he shook his head vehemently, "Rose is a nice girl, a very good friend, but just that. We never dated no, no. In fact, I'm not really sure Rose even dates…"

"What?" I looked at Danila, hoping the tentative joy in my eyes was not too obvious.

"Well," the man chuckled, "it is not for a lack of trying on the part of many of the single male population in here in Caelum."

"But she - she doesn't go out with them?" Again, I hoped the hope in my eyes was not too evident.

"No, she tells me she has better things to do with her life," he chuckled once again, "of course some people think it is because she and Noble have a thing going on."

And cue the hope decreasing.

"Of course, that is just speculation. No one really knows if they're just friends and partners or you know…more than that. Well, I guess their team knows considering the whole lot of them like to make rather confusing comments about their relationship…"

That was not helpful in anyway.

"But of course everything is just speculation unless you hear it from Ben or Rose themselves," Danila added hastily. "Besides, we are getting off topic. This is about you and Rose."

"There is no Rose and I."

"Was there, though? Back at the Academy? When she was your student?"

I hesitated for the slightest second, and that seemed to answer Danila's question for him judging by the look on his face, but I verbally answered it anyway.

"Yes, briefly."

Again, there was no judgment in his eyes; just thoughtfulness. The silence returned for a moment. Danila seemed to be thinking deeply once again, and I allowed him the time as we both worked to finish our breakfast before we had to report for a lesson. This was a last minute one, added just last night after all of us had gotten our partner assignments. We were to start building a true partnership, and this session was designed to start that.

At least that was what the e-mail had said.

Danila did not speak again until after we had finished our food and headed toward one of the many gyms in the Elite training facilities.

"So, how long did this fling between you two last?" He finally asked, in a rather hushed tone as we crossed a courtyard.

Fling? He thought what had happened between Roza and I had been a fling? An insignificant romp? That Roza was just a plaything for me? The logical side of me could see where he was getting his logic; many would assume that a twenty four year old male wanted only one thing from a seventeen year old female. However, the relationship between Roza and me was not solely about sex, or any other physical form of pleasure; it was much deeper than that. Truly, I could not blame Danila for thinking that our relationship was solely based on fulfilling physical wants, but still, my emotions got the best of me.

"Fling? You think what we had was just some brief thing? Some meaningless affair? That I was using her for sex?" Those statements may have came out harsher than I intended them to.

Danila finally seemed shocked; but he spoke. "Was it not?"

I took this opportunity to continue my slight tirade.

"Of course it was not just a fling! Because she was more than some girl to me; our relationship was more than some illicit affair that we initiated for the hell of it. You think I would put my job on the line for some insignificant girl? Of course not! Roza was everything to me. She loved me and I loved her!" I finally finished strongly.

Thank God we were in a rather deserted hallway.

The Russian in front of he was now gob smacked; truly stunned into silence. His mouth opened several times, but no words, not even a few sounds, came out.

I, on the other hand was now feeling much calmer, and decided I needed to let the man process what had just transpired before we continued this conversation, so I started walking again toward our destination. I started down the hallway and was rounding the corner when I heard the man catch up to me. Again, the silence prevailed as I rounded another corner and found the room we were to be meeting in.

I pushed open the door…

And was met by the best sight ever.

Roza.

She was standing in the center of the gym in her training clothes - black sleeveless shirt with silver detailing with matching, form fitting bottoms – looking stunning as always. Her long hair was pulled back into high ponytail that swayed enticingly she laughed her beautiful laugh at…

Something Noble was saying.

Of course I shouldn't have been surprised that they were together; they were partners, and this was a lesson on how to start forming a true partnership…whatever the hell that meant.

They were still talking as more and more Guardian pairs filed into the room, seemingly absorbed into their conversation, as they were often were. I looked around and saw Eddie Castile talking to his partner, as were many others. It seemed that so far, the partners were getting along rather well with each other. Speaking of partners, mine had that pensive look back on his face as he looked at Roza and Noble, then turned to me.

I raised an eyebrow in question, but the man simply shook his head. I was going to question him when Noble's voice rang out, cutting me off.

"Hello everyone and good job finding your partners and making your way down here together."

"You're already getting into partnering spirit!" Rose smirked. "Good for you all!"

"Love, stop patronizing them," Noble smirked as well.

Rose rolled her eyes.

Noble rolled his back.

"This is the goal guys, this is the goal; to become just us!" Roza laughed at she pointed between her and Noble.

"That is, if you stick around long enough. May whatever deity you believe in help you all," Noble drawled.

"Anyway, enough of us. Let's get to you guys. Partnerships, you're in one now. Good job." Roza clapped.

"And Rose?"

"Yes Ben?"

"What is the most important aspect of a partnership?"

"Well, Ben, I would have to say trust."

"Trust?"

"Trust!"

"Correct my darling Rose! Alright you lot! Come along!"

Noble spun and led us over to the side of the small gym, where targets were set up that ran the length of the wall. A small table set up near the corner of the room was full of the small throwing knives we had been working with a few weeks ago.

"Alright, so today we're going to build trust between you all. Now you all may be thinking that this is stupid. That, 'no shit,' you need to trust your partner. Some of you might even think that you already trust your partner, but do you really? Well, today's exercise will determine that."

"Now I know what you all are thinking. We're going to make you do something stupid, like trust falls," Roza paused to roll her eyes, "but don't worry, we won't subject you to that stupidity."

"And of course, this is the Elite," Noble walked toward the table full of knives. "Trust falls are not going to cut it. We have something much more advance in mind."

And with that, Roza walked toward the targets.

Noble picked up several of the knives.

No.

I think the room collectively realized what was going to happen. Castile's jaw dropped, along with half of the room's. Janine Hathaway, who I had just noticed now, was absolutely shaking, no vibrating, with anger. I hadn't even realized that I had taken a step forward until I felt Danila's palm grabbing hold of my shoulder, holding me back from charging at Noble and knocking the knives out of his hands.

Roza positioned herself in front of a target. She did not look terrified at all, she looked serene, a bit smug even. Noble, meanwhile, stepped forward, five gleaming knives in his hand and no expression on his face.

No. No, this couldn't be what they had in store for us. How could this build trust?

Noble threw the first knife.

_Plunk._

It embedded itself in the wall, at least two feet about Roza's head. I think the room breathed a collective sigh of relief, at least until…

"Is that really all you got?" Rose taunted, "If that is, quite frankly I don't see how you got a perfect on your weapons accuracy final all those years ago. Looks like you really do get rustier with age, eh partner?"

Noble showed no emotion, he simply gripped the second blade tighter and got into position.

_Plunk._

This time the blade was about six inches away from her waist.

Roza yawned dramatically.

_Plunk._

Blade number three landed dangerously close to her arm.

Danila now had to hold back both of my shoulders just to keep me still. All I really wanted to do was knock Noble to the ground and disarm him before taking Roza away, far far away, from the target.

However, again, Roza started with the taunts. "The arm? Really Noble? The arm? Who the hell goes for the arm? You always go for the parts that will cause either instant death or a slow, agonizing bleed out with blood pooling everywhere! You truly are clueless."

_Plunk._

Blade number four barely skimmed the delicate flesh of Roza's neck.

Again, Roza didn't even flinch, in fact she looked kind of bored. Noble, on the other hand, seemed to be looking for the next body part to aim at. I, on the other hand…

"Calm down man, Noble would never intentionally hurt her!" Danila hissed into my ear as he now struggled to restrain me, even with both hands around my shoulders.

And how about accidentally? The knife could all too easily slip or take a weird spin and land somewhere I didn't really didn't want it to land.

Which was basically anywhere in Roza.

Around us, the others were quietly buzzing.

"What? Why?"

"Where do you think he'll hit next?"

"How do you even build trust like this?"

"Is this one of their sick jokes? Another random test?"

"Castile! Did they mention anything about this to you?!"

I managed to see a glimpse of Castile woodenly shaking his head, his eyes still glued to the scene on front of us as Noble prepared to throw the final knife.

His eyes were scanning the space in front of him, and I tried to keep up with him, to see where he would choose to throw next. Finally, his eyes landed on one spot, and before I could even start to struggle against Danila's grip again, he struck.

_Plunk._

The knife shot out, spinning wildly before it hit its target.

It landed literally a millimeter above Roza's head.

The room was dead silent as Roza's eyes flickered up to glance at the knife perched millimeters above her head…before a broad grin stretched across her face, and she began to laugh.

Noble finally broke form and laughed with her as the two of them approached each other and high-fived.

Was I the only one who thought that there were many things wrong with high-fiving the person who was just throwing knives at your head? Apparently not, as the room began buzzing again.

"Yeah…I think they have issues, major issues."

"That was…that was…what the hell was that?"

"How did she not flinch at all?"

"How did she not even move?"

"They're going to make us do this, aren't they?"

That last one was heard by Roza and Noble, and it would seem that their grins answered that question.

"Do you all see how this was an exercise in trust?" Noble questioned. "Because Rose here, was completely at ease, even though a foreigner with sharp blades was throwing knifes at her head."

"And do you all know was I was so calm?" Rose interjected. "Because I know my partner and I know he wouldn't purposefully throw knives at me for fun. I trust him to not cut off something important."

"Now it's your turn. Half of your line up against the wall! The other half, go get some knives! We expect minimal flinching by the end of the hour!" Noble clapped.

* * *

"I think we did rather well," Danila commented as we relaxed in one of the many deserted hallways in the building.

"Yes, no injuries. I count that as a success," I nodded.

Honestly, after a couples minutes, the task became less daunting. Danila was a rather calm man to begin with, so after a few rounds he was barely flinching, something that Rose and Ben had commended us for achieving so quickly. After a while, it strangely became…fun.

The silence took over the hallway once again as Danila and I took long drags from our respective water bottles.

"So you loved her," Danila chose to break the silence.

"Love."

The man's eyes grew huge. "Love?"

I nodded, disbelieving why I was disclosing this.

He blew out a breath, then took a long sip from his water bottle.

"What did you get yourself into?"

I couldn't help but smile. "The best thing that ever happened to me."

There was a length of silence as Danila seemed to contemplate something. I had said what needed to say, and there was no more information I was willing to offer up to the man, even if I did enjoy his company.

"Can I ask you a question?" He finally said.

I raised my eyebrow as an affirmative.

"What is your personal opinion of Noble?"

Apparently, my face contorted into something funny as Danila's chuckles began to fill the hallway.  
I was just about to tell the man to shut it when…

"Hello guys."

Danila's chuckles stopped at I shot up and greeted the figure at the end of the hallway.

"Roza."

She was still in her training clothes with a soft, if not slightly confused, smile as her womanly frame filled my vision.

And the best part? There was no Ben Noble in slight.

"Hello Rose," Danila greeted from his spot.

"Danila, hi! What did you think of training?"

The man laughed as Rose's smile grew into a smirk. I winced, recalling the session and the 'surprise' Roza and Noble had for us.

"It was interesting, Rose. I expected nothing less from Rose Mazur and Ben Noble."

"We get that a lot," Roza laughed lightly as well, "we got the idea from a movie!"

I had to chuckle at that. Of course.

A silence filled the hallway for a second. I looked at Roza. She seemed to be thinking about something, a faraway look in her eyes. Danila looked from her, to me, to her again, back to me.

"Well," he clapped as he stood, "I have a meeting with my…uh, friend in a couple minutes. Will you be okay?" Danila nodded in my direction.

"Of course," I replied.

"See you both tomorrow." He nodded as e moved toward the exit.

"Bye."

"Bye Danila!" Rose smiled before turning to look at me.

From behind her, Danila shot me a thumbs up and a wink before making his exit.

"So, Dimitri? Would you like to have dinner with me?"

I think my world froze for a second. This was the first time Roza was truly talking to me, without coercion, outside of training. Not only that, but she was asking me to join her for a meal. A meal with Roza! I briefly wondered if I was dreaming. If Danila had indeed hit me, and I was actually lying in the infirmary with some head injury. However, I blinked, and Roza was indeed still in front of me, waiting for an answer. And I would be a fool if I were to answer anything but…

"Yes. I would love to."

* * *

**Well guys! What did you think? I know some of you were expecting a dinner scene, but I decided to cut that from this chapter and move it to the next one because if we did have the dinner scene here, the update would have been in two weeks from now, after my last essay is due. I think that's too long of a wait, so I hope you guys can wait a little longer for the dinner scene! As always, thank you for your patience!**

**Next chapter: Dinner, mini road trip, and the first BIG TALK**

**Next, next chapter: Some bonding time with the gang and a Q&amp;A with Rose and Ben. **

**Keeping sending in your questions guys! They just might be in two chapters from now…**

**Okay guys, I have work in the morning, a final on Friday, and four essays to get back to! Pray for my mental well-being, haha!**

**Until next time, have a nice day/night wherever you may be. **


	25. Prelude to the Talk

**You know who writes a great story? KimberlieR. She updates her amazing story, **_**After the Sacrifice**_**, almost everyday! Something I am still working on…*hangs head in shame***

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Dimitri Belikov**

"Great," Rose smiled. "Do you want to freshen up a bit and go change? We can meet in front of the doors to the Great Hall?"

"Of course," I nodded briskly, hoping not to appear too eager.

"Okay, see you in about half an hour?"

"Of course," I repeated, nodding once again.

She smiled that sweet smile again before walking away, to get ready, I presume. I meanwhile, was rooted to the same spot I had been standing at the whole time, wondering if what just transpired really just happened.

Did Roza just ask me out on a date?

* * *

**Rose Mazur**

"So you asked the man out on the date?" Ben raised an eyebrow at me.

"It's not a date," I defended as I pulled my wet hair up into a high bun on my head, "it's just dinner."

"With your ex-boyfriend, if we can even call him that, or would you prefer ex-lover? Who just happens to be your soul mate?" And cue that stupid smirk. Don't get me wrong, I usually love that smirk, when it was directed at someone else, and not me.

"Okay number one? You know I hate the word 'lover,' it just skives me out!" I shuddered slightly, "number two, you know I don't believe in soul mates. And number three, I am having dinner with Dimitri Belikov, a person who once meant something to me."

I sniffed, rolled my eyes in typical Rose Hathaway fashion, then turned back to the mirror to fix the messy bun I was trying to achieve.

"Once? A person who once meant something to you? You know, for someone who "once" meant something to you, you sure are putting a lot of effort into your appearance right now. I've known you for five years now Love, and I don't think you ever cared this much about what your hair looked like, even for an event. And this is, as you said, 'just a dinner.'"

From the reflection in the mirror I could see Ben grinning behind be.

'_Cheeky bastard,'_ I thought as my hands finally stopped fiddling with the damn bun.

"Don't you have paperwork to do instead of sitting here critiquing my hair?" I folded my arms across my chest while turning to look at my partner, whom I loved dearly, but wanted to stop talking right now.

"This is more fun," he grinned.

Then ducked right in time to avoid the pillow I flung at him.

* * *

He came to me looking like a cowboy fresh after a rodeo.

I stood in front of the doors of the Great Hall, waiting for Dimitri to arrive, thinking about how surprised and slightly pleased I was that I had beat him here.

Then I looked up.

Good God. He was wearing that duster, or course, that complimented his strong physique, as did the dark jeans he wore. The grey t-shirt he was wearing stretched across his chest snugly, showing just how broad his chest was. The black combat boots just made him look absolutely badass along with that intense look permanently on his face. And finally, the hair. He had his still slightly damp hair pulled back into a pony tail, with a few strands escaping and around his face. Honestly, five ears had past, but Dimitri still looked the same.

Dear Angel what did I just agree to?

"Roza," he said softly as he stopped in front of me.

"Hey Dimitri, ready to get some food?" I smiled.

"Been looking forward to this for far too long." He gave me that intense, sexy Guardian look again which told me he was not just talking about the food.

Oh sweet Lord, those eyes…

Clearing my throat, I awkwardly gestured at doors, "Shall we?"

He opened a door for me and we slipped through to enter the crowded Great Hall. The hall was, as always, vibrant, loud, and full of warmth and energy. Groups of Agents sat together, chatting over their food, and now we had begun to see some Guardians sitting amongst the Agents.

Dimitri and I made our way over to the large island at the center of the hall where all the food options were being held. As we wound our way around the island, I loaded my plates, up with some classic favorites; the sinfully good, melt in your mouth, lamb stew and a cloud of those heavenly mashed potatoes, with Dimitri following me. We were mostly silent as we got our dinner, with me just pointing out dishes that I like, were popular, or that I thought he would like. Dimitri nodded, not saying much. He seemed to be thinking about something.

Finally, we were done getting our food and drink and I pointed out a smaller two person table near the entrance of the hall. We made our way over to the table, and took our seats. It was unusually quiet.

"You're being quiet. Usually you have something to say to me," I commented as I popped open my bottle of soda, "Is something wrong Dimitri?"

He didn't answer me, instead, his attention was focused on something happening behind me.

Turning in my seat, I looked behind me a found the source of Dimitri's distraction.

"I'm going to kill those idiots," I groaned at the sight behind me.

Lev and Denis, I love them. They're my boys, but they're also my idiot boys and they were very clearly demonstrating that right now.

Behind me, the team, minus Ben who was stuck with paperwork, sat, enjoying their dinner at a larger table. The rest of the team were chatting amongst themselves, enjoying their food like normal people, but not Lev and Denis, nope. Lev had managed to sculpt a rather crude looking face from his plate of mashed potatoes. He was holding it up while both he and Denis were giving Dimitri the evil eyes, Denis even using his fork to point at Dimitri, then to the plate of mashed potato face, and then dramatically stabbing the plate, all while still glaring at Dimitri.

I wanted to take that fork and stab both of them with it.

Luckily, Josh and Isabelle soon noticed what they were doing, and slapped them both upside the head to get them to quit it.

I shot them both a look of gratitude, which they acknowledged with nods, before turning back to Dimitri.

"Sorry bout that," I cleared my throat, "Lev and Denis…they're just weird like that."

Dimitri finally shook himself out of the distracted state he was in, and shot me a small, amused smile. "I can see that."

"So, how have you been?" I asked politely, before taking a bite of my food.

"I-I've been well Roza." Dimitri responded politely. When I looked up, his handsome face seemed slightly confused and disappointed with my question.

I pretended not to know why.

"Well you've been doing really well with all the training being thrown at you. Lev and Isabelle talk about you guys all the time and you're one of their best students week after week. We have meetings every week to talk about you guys, and your name comes up a lot. And now that you have Danila as a partner I imagine that you both will do fantastically well with the rest of the training program. There's only a few week left in the first part you know. In about two weeks we'll be moving on to simulation training, which is going to be a whole new ballpark-" I was cut off when Dimitri unexpectedly slammed his glass of water on the table, his eyes now fully betraying his disappointment and some slight anger.

"Roza," his voice was low and had a slight edge to it, "I have been here for nearly two months. I have trained, I have re-trained, I have worked so hard since I have arrived here. I see you almost everyday, and when I do see you, even if it is a glimpse, it is the best part of my day. But I never get to speak to you. Either you are too busy training, or I get roped into Nobles group, or whatever excuse you created to avoid speaking with me; something gets in the way. I've had enough of this Roza, you promised me we would talk back on the plane. And I mean an actual discussion about us, our past, what happened to us, not these ridiculous light, casual conversations you keep insisting to have with me. Enough is enough Roza. I want to talk about us, no one dodging the issue."

Well damn.

By the time Dimitri had finished his little rant, his eyes were full on blazing and his knuckles were white from how hard he was clenching his fists.

Part of me was ashamed to admit that he looked pretty damn hot, even if he was pissed off at me.

But he was right. This program was nearly halfway over, and we had barely spoken except for crappy light conversations which usually lasted a total of thirty seconds before I managed to find an escape. This was ridiculous. I am a twenty-three year old woman, and I am still running from my past. Ben was right, I owed Dimitri a talk.

"_So Belikov and Kozlov," Ben commented before striking out at the practice dummy with his fist, "looks like we are getting some competition Love."_

"_Yeah, I know," I playfully grumbled from my spot on in front of the punching bag," those damn Russians."_

"_Speaking of Belikov…" Ben started as he broke into a punching sequence._

_I stopped him there._

"_Are we really going to talk about Dimitri Belikov right now? While we're training?" I asked before starting my own series of jabs with the punching bag._

"_Well Love, when else are we going to do it? During the actual training sessions when Belikov is there to hear us talk about him? Or maybe your preference? Which apparently is never. You do realize that it has been almost eight weeks since we started right? And you two have made no progress on the communication front?" Ben stopped his punching to raise an eyebrow._

"_What's wrong with never?" I asked innocently. "Plus, I think you just want me to start talking to Dimitri again so that we can get closer, and when one of the creepy trainees tries to hit on me, Dimitri will unleash the beat down on that poor soul._

_Yes, the bet was still going on, with Ben changing his bet to two months from the initial one month. After two weeks had past and everyone saw that Dimitri was managing to stay calm even with some Guardians finding to the nerve to talk to me, even flirt a bit, everyone started re-arranging their bets._

_I personally had hoped they would cancel the whole stupid thing, but apparently, that was too much to ask for._

_What great friends I have…_

"_Love, I think you know the answer to that question" Ben gave me a look that read 'if you never talk, you'll ever hash out your problems and you'll regret it for the rest of your life.'_

_I shot him a look that said, 'What's wrong with that?'_

_Ben rolled his eyes, then left his practice dummy to stand in front of me, his face softer than before._

"_Rose. You are my partner, and I love you. You have been through so much crap in your life, that you deserve a happy, full life for the rest of your days. And I think we both know that in order for that to happen, you need closure from your past life. The chapter of your life at Court and everything that happened there and with Dimitri Belikov that day at the church needs to end. The man is right here in our home. Take this opportunity now, get the closure, whatever that may be, you need. I love seeing you happy Love, I truly do. But I know that the past still eats at you from time to time, and you not deserve that. So please, talk to the man. It will be good for you, I promise."_

_I gazed up at my partner. Damn it. Why did he possess that damn poetic British-ness? Why did he have to be so right all the time? _

"_I hate that you're so right all the time." I huffed, blowing my bangs out of my eyes._

_Ben chuckled. "Five years and I never tire of hearing that. Does this mean that you admit defeat?"_

_I punched his arm playfully, "Don't get too cocky Noble. But yes, I'll talk to him soon. And yes, it will be a real conversation."_

_He smiled and brushed his lips to my forehead, "Atta girl."_

I heaved in a breath and set down my fork, abandoning my half eaten food for now. "You're right. I owe you that talk I promised you back at the airport."

Dimitri seemed surprised that I agreed so quickly.

"But we can't talk now. This is not an appropriate setting." I added hurriedly as I saw his mouth open to protest. "What are you doing this weekend?"

Well that stunned the man quickly. "I-I didn't really have any plans. I was perhaps going to do something with Danila, but if you want to talk…" He trailed off awkwardly, but hopefully.

"I have to run an errand this Sunday. I'll be heading out of the city, it'll take a few hours. Do you want to come with me?" I attempted to raise an eyebrow.

"Yes," he said quickly, "Sunday sounds good. Where are we headed?"

"Otium. It's a little over a twenty minute drive out of the city. Little sleepy town near the woods, pretty popular spot for a weekend getaway. Starting next week Jay, one of my team mates is getting two weeks off from work, so he'll be heading down there with his family. He's keeping this a surprise so the rest of us are helping him set up the cabin they'll stay at. I need to just clean a little and set up some furnishings Sunday. We can talk there?"

"A cabin? We're headed to a cabin?" Dimitri seemed to be remembering the last time the two of us were in a cabin. And what happened that last time…

"Yes. Is…is that going to be a problem for you?" I added quickly.

"No, no!" Dimitri rushed out. "A cabin sounds…great. It will be private?"

"Yeah, just the two of us," I said, then mentally cringed at the implications in that one little sentence.

"Alright then. Sunday it is."

"I'll pick you up around nine, then we can head up to the cabin."

Dimitri nodded, "Of course. I look forward to this."

* * *

**Sunday**

"So, looking forward to date number two?" I turned to face Dianna, Leigha and Isabelle, who had all shown up early at my apartment to torture me.

"It is not a date!" I huffed as I blotted down my lipstick with a tissue.

"Really? It's a Sunday. You're going up to a cabin-" Dianna was cut off by Isabelle

"With Dimitri Belikov! And I think we all know what happened the last time you two were alone in a cabin together!" She cooed evily.

I really need to find new friends.

"Also, you put on the jeans that make your ass look extra nice and the boots that make your legs look fab along with the blouse that is cut just low enough to show some nice tasteful cleavage and it's almost the exact color of your skin so you look like you are showing more skin than you actually are. Oh, and let's not forget the lipstick. I mean, damn your lips look plump right now! You never put this much effort into your looks, even for a gala or something like that." Leigha piped up.

"They all got a point Love." Ben piped up from his spot on my couch, where he was currently flipping through the channels.

"Don't you all have sometime better to do right now?" I cried.

"You know my usual Sunday routine," Ben shrugged.

"I'm meeting Chuck for brunch right after this," Leigha smiled.

"The cute barista I like at Starbucks doesn't start his shift for another thirty minutes," Isabelle grinned.

"I have an entire season of Downton Abbey to catch up with…after you leave for your date!" Dianna smirked.

"It. Is. Not. A. Date!" I cried, once again, exasperatedly.

"Keep telling yourself that sweetheart," Isabelle smirked.

Suddenly, my apartment door banged open…revealing Christian, Josh and Eddie.

"Are we too late to watch Rose freak out over her date with Belikov?" Christian drawled as he strolled in.

The random throw pillow I chucked at him was the answer to that question.

* * *

I sat outside Guardian HQ, waiting for Dimitri. After another fifteen minutes of teasing from my so called friends, I finally managed to pull on my leather jacket, and leave my apartment. I headed to my car in the parking garage, and now, ten minutes later, sat outside, in my car, waiting for Dimitri. After five minutes, he emerged from the building, with Danila by his side. He was scanning the area, until Danila pointed right at me. His eyes widened in surprise. I rolled down my window.

"Morning guys!" I waved.

Danila waved politely back, clapped Dimitri on the shoulder and then whispered something to him, before walking off down the street.

Okay then. Bye bye Danila.

Dimitri, on the other hand, came toward my, once again, in that ridiculous duster.

That I loved so much.

He got in the passenger's side and somehow managed to gracefully fit himself in before shutting the door.

"Good morning Roza," he greeted with that rich timber. What a way to start the day.

"Dimitri," I greeted back as I started the car, "are you ready for today?"

"Of course. Been looking forward to it for a while now." He gave me that smoldering look again, and I internally gulped.

This was going to be an interesting day.

* * *

**Well...at least it didn't take me a month to update...heehee?**

**I know, I know! I'm a bad writer! But I am truly on break now and will try to update every week from now on! The chapters might be a little shorted, but I want to get chapter out to you guys quicker! So consider this PART 1 of your Christmas gift from me.**

**I know this chapter was supposed to have THE BIG FIRST TALK but I am dedicating the entire next chapter for that because I feel it needs that. Now, when I will update will depend on you guys. The second part of your Christmas gift, the Big Talk, which I know you guys want to see, is next. I could update tomorrow, or Friday, but I will update by the weekend. Now, if you want it tomorrow...I need to type quicker! And you know what gets me typing? Some nice review telling me your thoughts! The more of those I get, the quicker you will get an update! **

**Let's see if you guys can do it!**

**And of course, my Dear readers, I wish you all Happy Holidays! Stay safe, have fun, and stuff yourself! Haha.**

**See you around! ;) Have a nice holiday wherever you are!**


	26. The Talk

**I hope you all had a great Christmas! And I also wish those who do celebrate it, a happy Boxing Day! For my fellow Americans, hope you all either recovered from your food comas and/or did not get hurt while doing your after Christmas shopping/returns. Haha!**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Rose Mazur**

We were fifteen minutes into the drive and nearly at the cabin.

This had been the most awkward fifteen minute drive I have ever had. The first five minutes were just complete silence; the last ten minutes were filed with awkward conversations. How awkward you may ask?

Dimitri commented about the weather.

And I commented back. On the weather. The weather. The most horrible, awkward conversation topic two people could talk about.

And we were talking about it.

"What happened to us, Roza? We were never this awkward, not even at the beginning," Dimitri spoke my thought right as I pulled up to the cabin.

"I think you know what happened to us, Dimitri," I sighed as I turned off the ignition and headed out of the car, but not before catching a glimpse of his face, and the pain and regret that was etched on to it.

I trudged up the small path to the actual cabin itself and unlocked the door right as Dimitri caught up to me.

"So I told Jay I would wipe down everything, hang up the curtains, add some pillows and stuff, oh and of course set up the bedrooms." I told Dimitri as I handed him the keys to my car. "Can you get the stuff from my car? It's in the back."

He raised an eyebrow, "You trust me with your car?"

"Yes. I trust you with my car," I rolled my eyes, "despite what you think I still do trust you with some things."

I walked into the cabin, once again ignoring his look of shock.

Softly shutting the door behind me, I softly blew out a breath.

_You can do this Mazur, you can do this. You have to do this. Closure, right? You deserve closure. Or this talk could open a whole new can of worms. Oh Dear God…_

Getting my shit together, I grabbed a wash cloth and got to wiping down the kitchen first. The door opened and Dimitri stepped through the threshold his arms full of the towels, curtains, and bed sheets I had brought. He stood by the door looking unsure with what to do with himself.

"You can start by setting up the smaller bedroom. That will be Jack's room."

"Jack?"

"He's Jay's son. He's four and likes cars, hence the _Cars_ bed sheets." I explained.

"Oh, okay." There's that disappointed look again. "I'll just go back to the bedroom."

"I'll join you after I'm done here."

"Alright," he sounded considerably happier.

I spent the next twenty minutes wiping down the kitchen cabinets and counters and the mantle in the living room, as well as the windows. Then I spent another ten minutes hanging up curtains and placing pillows on the couch and armchairs. Though, let's be honest here, I was just trying to delay the inevitable. Suddenly, my phone beeped.

With a message from my dear partner.

_If you're reading this right now, you are either avoiding the inevitable talk or already finished with the talk. If you are avoiding the talk, GET ON WITH IT. If you are finished and not going that well, call me NOW. If you talked and all is well, ignore this and continue on. – Your Most Favorite Partner_

Damn it Noble.

* * *

"Looks good in here."

Dimitri jumped a little and turned around to face me, then relaxed a little bit.

"Thank you, Roza."

"Jack will love it. His home away from home for two weeks. Shall we go do the master bedroom now?"

The light that came into Dimitri's eyes was amazing. "Okay."

He followed me across the small hallway and into the master bedroom. I pulled out the bed sheets I needed to put on and simultaneously Dimitri and I looked at the bed.

"So…" I started. Shit. Me and Dimitri in a cabin with a bed. Well, we needed to talk. I just did not expect it to be so…intimate.

"I'll start on one side and you can do the other." Dimitri offered, taking the sheets out of my hands and heading toward the bed.

"Sure." I joined him on the other side of the bed, taking a corner of the bed sheet and starting to make the bed.

Dimitri and I…making the bed.

What kind of alternate hell did I get myself into?

"So, Roza. Where's Ben?"

Dimitri looked like he instantly regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth.

I sighed. And so it begins.

"Really Dimitri? That's how you want to start this? By asking about Ben?"

"Well, I do have more questions about the man, but you're right, now is not the proper time to talk about Ben Noble. We have to talk about us." Dimitri sighed.

There was silence for a while as I continued on making the bed. Dimitri was the one who wanted to talk. If he wanted to talk, he had to start.

"Roza? About what happened all those years ago. I'm sorry I never meant to hurt you, to drive you away-"

"What are you sorry about Dimitri? Which event do you regret where you caused me pain? There were quite a few from what I remember." I spat out bitterly.

"I'm sorry for it all. I'm sorry you quit school and nearly ruined your career for me. I'm sorry for what I did to you in Russia, what I did was inexcusable and I-I, for years I was disgusted with myself for what I did to you, all of it; from the moment you found me to the moment I was turned back. But most of all, I'm sorry for the way I treated you after I was restored. I hurt you and –"

"Hurt me? You 'hurt me' all those years ago and now you're sorry for that? Well I'm sorry, but this apology is coming a little too late. You didn't break my heart that day in the church Dimitri. Oh no! You broke my heart before that. What happened at the church was just the cherry on top of the ruined, doomed from the start relationship between us! When I saw you go down in those caves," I paused, taking a shuddering breath, fighting back those memories "that's when I felt my heart break. I stood there and watch you, the man I loved, the man who seemed infallible, fall. When I saw that, and couldn't do anything about it, that's when I felt my heart crack in my chest, that was the moment when my heart shattered, watching you being forcibly ripped away from me. But even then, I was okay. I was barely hanging on, but when Mason told me you weren't dead, I knew what I had to do. And that day, that moment when I watched Lissa shoved that stake into you, and I knew I had you back, I naively thought everything would be okay again. God, eighteen year old me was such an optimist." I sighed, dropping the bed sheet and sitting on my side of the bed.

"I felt my heart start to repair itself that day, until you refused me. You rejected me Dimitri, and that hurt, it really did. But nothing, no pain has ever come close to the day at the church. That was the day you reached into my chest, ripped out my heart, stomped on it, then crushed it to a pulp right in front of my eyes. You broke my heart twice Dimitri. And I'm sorry, but that is something I have never been able to forget."

I looked down at my fingers, not wanting to look up and see Dimitri's face. The bed sagged as he took a seat next to me, and I felt his heavy sigh more then I heard it.

"I don't deserve your apology. I don't deserve any of the kindness you have shown me these past weeks. I don't deserve the happiness you bring me."

"Dimitri-" I gasped softly. Is that how he felt? Even after all these years?

"No Roza! You said your piece, now it is time for mine!" He let out another heavy sigh, then scrubbed his face roughly with his hands. "Sorry, I didn't mean to yell," he added in a much softer tone. "Roza, out of everything I did five years ago, what I still cannot forgive myself for my actions after I was turned back. If I could, I would go back to that horrible day, and change it. You don't know how many times I've wished for that ability the past few years. If I could go back, the first thing I would do is run back into your arms, where I've wished to be these past five years. I know I don't deserve you Roza, but these past five years have been torture for me. The past two months, I've felt the most alive these past two months, more than I have been since you left, and that is all because of you. When you left, you know I searched for you? I took time off work, an entire year, in fact. I went all over the States, Europe, even Turkey, just hoping, praying that one day I would look up and see you there in front of me." He paused here, and my breath caught as he looked at me with those deep orbs, riddled with sadness and regret. I wanted so badly to take away his pain…

"But that obviously never happened. And I still remember that day, that one horrible day. I was in Istanbul, beautiful city by the way, and I was nearing the end of my trip. It had been nearly nine months by then and I still had no luck with trying to find you. It was a nice day; warm outside, sun was out, the breeze was just perfect. And I was at this marketplace and everywhere I looked I saw people out and about, the most delicious smells coming from the vendors, colors everywhere, it was the most beautiful sight." I looked up at Dimitri to see the sad, faraway look in his eye. "But couldn't enjoy it, this beautiful city right in front of me. All I could think about as you, Roza. About how much more beautiful this would be if you were there with me. But-but you weren't there, Roza, you weren't. And it was all my fault."

Dimitri's breath hitched and I felt my resolve, along with my heart, crack just a bit. I reach out and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Dimitri?"

He continued on. "And after I returned to Court all I could think about was how I failed. I failed in my mission to find you, I failed you, but worst of all," he paused to take my hand in his, "I failed us. You were-no are-you are the one woman in this world who has ever made me feel true romantic love, and I pushed you away. I'm so sorry Roza, I-I, that is my biggest regret to this day, the pain I caused you, caused us."

There was a beat of silence until I chose to fill it with the words that I had realized too late.

"Dimitri, don't put this all on yourself. I should have been more patient, more understanding with you. You had gone through a lot, and I should have waited for you to come to me. You were doing what you thought was right, even though I would have appreciated the choice to decide what was right for myself," I added gently, looking at him. "I don't like the way you went about it, but I-I understand why you did it."

"You do?" Dimitri's whisper filled the space.

"Yes," my voice as small as his. I have had five years to reflect on it, of course. "My only wish was that you had realized that I only wanted to be a source of comfort for you, that you could have come to me at any time and I would've welcomed you."

"I know, Roza. I wish that too, and deeply regret not doing so. I-I, Roza I-"

Oh God here it came.

"I love you, Roza. More than you know, more that anyone could know, even more that I know. I love you so, so much." Dimitri's hands came to gently grasp my face, forcing me to look into those passionate eyes.

There was another beat of silence where I averted my eyes, choosing to look at the space next to his head.

"Roza, you know that right? Surely you know how much I love you?" His voice became more urgent.

"Your last words to me," I took his hands off of my face, unfortunately missing the warmth they had brought. "Love fades, mine has. I carried those words with me for years, Dimitri, years! It took me years to get over those famous last words. And maybe I've convinced myself that I have gotten over them, but I have never forgotten them. Dimitri-" I cut him off as I saw him open his mouth to speak, "you tore my heart out with those words all those years ago. I loved you, and you just took that and threw everything I gave you away. I just don't know if I can trust you with my heart again, Dimitri. You hold more control over me than you know, Dimitri. I don't know if I can give you my heart for a third time and trust you not to break it. I can't handle that pain, not again." I finished in a whisper, wrapping my arms around myself.

"Roza, please. I know I messed everything up for us, but please, give me one last chance. You are my world, I haven't functioned correctly for the past five years without you. If-if you don't trust me now, please just give me time. One last chance please! We can just start out friends, acquaintances even. Please, I just need to be back in your life in anyway. Please, Roza?"

I looked up and turned to fully face him. Dimitri Belikov had just laid his heart, hell, his entire soul, out for me. I couldn't deny that he loved me after that, and I couldn't deny that I loved him. But there was that small part of me, that stupid nagging part of me, that could not let allow me to truly forget about what had happened, and that would not allow me to truly trust him. Dimitri deserved better than that, we both did. I couldn't fully give myself over to him right now, but I could start small. I had to start somewhere, so I did the only thing I could trust myself to do right now, in this situation.

I leaned over and wrapped my arms around his neck tightly, pulling him closer to me. He immediately reciprocated, his strong arms coming to wrap around my waist. His scent enveloped me, and I felt his breaths quicken. God, I had missed this.

"Roza?" A small amount of hope came into his voice.

"I've missed you, Dimitri. So, so much."

* * *

**Well guys, that was the first Big Talk out of three. I kinda suck at writing these talks, I know. I think I needed more emotion...eeh. Also, I know Dimitri and Rose have a lot more to talk about, including Rose's back, but those will come out more later. And from now on, we willbe having more cute Romitri moments, a lot more in fact! You know, we need to get these crazy kids back together soon! Haha, this will be fun! Get ready for the feels!**

**Next up, we will get to see what happened after the talk, catch up with the gang more, and do some more training! Also, the chapter with a Q&amp;A with Ben and Rose will be coming soon, so again, if you were an eager student at the Elite, what would you ask The famous Agent Noble and Agent Mazur? Any questions, even fun, weird ones, will be appreciated!**

**Okay guys, see you next time!**

**Have a nice day/night wherever you are!**


	27. The Next Stage

**Happy New Years guys!**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Rose Mazur**

"Have a nice weekend, darling?" My partner's teasing tenor greeted me Monday morning as we started our customary Monday morning routine. This consisted of me getting us our daily dose of caffeine while Ben got the doughnuts, then we would meet at the street corner between the coffee shop and the doughnut shop and head off to work.

I rolled my eyes. "Yes Ben-Ben, I had a great weekend, how was yours?"

"Well you know, made fun of my partner for a little bit, got some coffee after she took her ex-lover up to a cabin, went to my usual Sunday stop, got food, texted said partner and received no reply from her. At that point, I started wondering what was happening. The possible scenarios I came up with were that they were having a long overdue chat, she had killed him and was now burying the body, or they were shagging each other's brains out. So, which one was it?" Ben grinned at me before I smacked his arm.

"You're so stupid!" I couldn't contain the laugh that escaped though.

"Well, you definitely did not shag each other's brains out; you would be in a better mood if you did. And I saw Belikov earlier this morning, so he's still alive. I guess this means you guys talked. Did you two have a good chat?" Ben's demeanor now turned serious. "Are you okay Love? Do I need to randomly fit in a sparring session with Belikov today?"

"No you don't need to do that," I rolled my eyes. "But yeah, we talked," I sighed.

"And?" Ben hedged on.

"We sorted some things out. I told him about how I felt, he told me about how he felt…" I trailed off awkwardly.

Of course Ben being Ben and knowing me so well, knew there was more.

"And?" He prompted again.

"He told me about what happened the five years I was gone, Ben. He left work for a year to find me! I mean, this is Dimitri Belikov we're talking about! He never takes breaks, but then he was in Turkey and there was a marketplace and he couldn't enjoy t because all he could think about was me, and I felt so bad! He poured all his anguish out, all of his love out yesterday while we were making that stupid bed and then he said he loved me!" Ben simply raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. I, on the other hand, still had more to say."And then he went on and said-no begged-to be a part of my life again, in any way, he said. He just needed to be a part of my life! And the entire time I just sat there like a fool…" I babbled on and on, getting to an incoherent point before Ben shushed me by pulling me in for a hug.

"Oh Rose," he murmured from the top of my head as his arms drew he in for a warm, comforting embrace. "There's nothing wrong with you Love. Yesterday was of course a lot to take in for you, it would be for anybody."

"He loves me," I whispered pathetically into his shoulder.

Ben pulled back at this, his eyes searching my face. "And did you say you loved him back?"

I think me averting my eyes answered his question for him.

"Love? What did you tell the man?" Ben prompted gently.

"I told him-I told him that I missed him, okay? I gave the lamest possible answer that a person could give when someone tells them they love them!" I huffed, folding my arms.

After a minute, I looked up to see the pensive look on Ben's face. "Oh Love," he finally sighed. "What are we going to do with you, you silly girl? You were overwhelmed. Hell, you still are overwhelmed right now. Your answer was fine, expected even considering what you have been through. Belikov is no fool, I highly doubt the man expected you to say it back, or take him back so soon. And if what you are telling me is correct, then this man will wait for you, Love. He'll wait and if you can't return his feelings, then he'll settle for being your friend, even though it will slowly kill him just being nothing more than a friend. Also, I'm not too sure that you two are capable of being just friends." Ben finished with a smirk.

"That started out so well, Benji-Boo. I mean you were do eloquent and put together, then it all went to shit at the end," I narrowed my eyes at his smug face.

"Well," he grinned that Ben grin again, and I couldn't help but grin back, "Well I do try my best. Now come along Mazur, we have work to do." And with that he slung an arm around my shoulders, and I did the same, and we carried on to Elite HQ.

* * *

**Dimitri Belikov**

"So, nice weekend Belikov?" Nicholas drawled as Danila and I sat down at the breakfast table in the Great Hall of Guardian headquarters. "A little getaway into the woods with the beautiful Rosemarie Mazur. My, my."

Danila and Pavel snorted while I just shook my head, eating my food.

Sergei took a sip from his coffee and continued on reading his newspaper.

"Where did you even hear that from?" I finally asked.

"I went jogging at the nearby park Sunday morning. Agents Komarov and Markov were there with their charge, Ozera. They were talking 'bout how Rose ran off into the woods with, and I quote, 'the giant Russian dumbass.' Their words, not mine, man." Nicholas smirked while I rolled my eyes. Honestly I was not surprised by their comment. They were friends of Roza, and if I had learned anything by now, Roza's friends are always loyal.

"A dumbass that spent a good chunk of the day in a cabin alone with Rose Hathaway. Good job man. I mean. From what I've heard, those few brave men who have managed to build the courage to ask her out got turned down immediately." Pavel nodded approvingly while Nicholas' jaw dropped. From beside me, Danila simply chuckled and patted my back.

"She doesn't date? Well damn!" Nicholas looked thoughtful.

"Why the sudden interest? Were you planning on asking her out? Rose Mazur? The daughter of our charge, our charge who has the ability to make people disappear with no questions asked?" Pavel snorted.

I meanwhile, shot my gaze to Nicholas. If he did want to ask Rose out…I don't even what to think about how I would react.

It would not be kind.

"God no!" Nicholas actually looked disgusted, "I mean yeah, she's hot- and don't hit me Belikov, I'm just stating the facts – but no. She isn't my type, I sincerely doubt that the Boss would approve, and I would never ask out someone one of my friends was interested in," he added, shooting me a meaningful look, which I returned in gratitude.

"But, do you all think she'll be willing to introduce me one of her friends? Or maybe some of her co-workers at that dance studio she does part-time at?" A dreamy look appeared on the man's face while the rest of us rolled our eyes.

Even Sergei.

* * *

"I think you are making good progress," Danila commented as we exited the hall, heading toward the location of our training session today. "You sent most of the day with the girl yesterday, and you came back unharmed. I deem that a success."

I had to chuckle at that. "Thank you."

"So, did you say what you needed to say yesterday?"

"Yes, yes I did, we both did." I nodded.

Danila nodded back, not pressing for more, which I was glad for.

"Rose is a smart woman, and you are a smart man. I am sure things will work out the way they are supposed to for you two."

"Thank you, Danila." I nodded as we continued on. We spent the rest of the walk talking about more trivial things as we headed towards our destination. He told me a bit about his Sunday, his plans to show me around the city a bit more, which I agreed to with readily, and more about Finn. We were starting phase two of training today. Phase two, according to the mass email that was sent out to everyone last week, included more training with our new partners, but also a new component as well that would 'truly test our abilities in the field and prepare us for nearly anything-no matter how ridiculous or low of a chance it has to occur.' Whatever they had in store for us, we were excited. The knowledge that we had gained over the past month and a half was amazing, the lessons invaluable; and slowly, but surely, we were becoming closer with the Guardians of Caelum and the Elite Agents. In the past few months I had learned more than I had in a very long time, I had met and interacted with more people than I had in a very long time, this entire experience had been incredible so far.

Danila and I reached the room where today's session would be held, and opened the door. Duos of Guardians and Agents milled around the room, discussing with one another. I spotted Pavel with his partner, a young Agent named Matt Miller, talking about something animatedly. Sergei was with his partner, an equally stone faced Agent David Hall, the two were discussing something quietly. And of course, Nicholas was with his partner, whom he was over the moon with as she was, as he deemed it 'smokin' hot' Agent Olesya Alyasheva, shamelessly flirting with the poor girl as she rolled her eyes at his antics.

Soon though, a hush fell over as Agents Smith and Tennant and Guardians Coleman and Gillian addressed the crowd.

"Today you all will begin the next phase of training; the simulations," Agent Smith began.

"The simulations are what we at the Elite and the Guardians primarily use for training. These simulations are also used to train students who have been deemed advanced, this is the field experience but in a controlled environment. Starting at the end of this week, you all will be in these simulations, fighting once again," Guardian Coleman finished.

"I'm sure you all are currently puzzled at how these work, so please, follow us." Guardian Gillian turned and walked toward the exit, her co-workers following her.

Soon, we all began following the two Agents and two Guardians down the hallway and up a small staircase to another floor of the building.

"Have you even been to this part of the building?" I murmured to Danila as we head up.

"Yes, a few times. Sometimes we come to help and to observe and they, us. The simulations are amazing, you will like them." My partner now had an excited glint in his eye, and I could not help but believe him.

Finally we all made it to the top of the landing, where we were greeted with quite a site.

There were several doors here with bright red, lit up signs reading SIMULATION IN PROGRESS over them. Beside each door was a window allowing us to look into the room. In each room, Elite Agents sat in rows front of rather high-tech looking computers. These computers were monitor-less, rather, holograms replaced them. Before I even had the chance to marvel at that, something distracted me, or rather, someone.

Roza.

Of course.

In each room, a screen took up the whole of the back wall. On said screens, what was occurring resembled a video, or a movie. The room I was looking into contained Roza's team, all watching the screen, appearing rather laid-back. The oldest member of Roza's team, Agent Jay Chandler, seemed to be the leader of the team today as he sat behind everyone else and observed simultaneously what was occurring on the screen and what the other Agents were doing. On the side of the room, beside the screen was yet another door, with another SIMULATION IN PROGRESS sign lit up above it.

However, it was the screen that held my interest.

The screen was split into several screens, all focused on a different aspect. ON the largest screen, Roza was currently battling a Raegar demon. This demon, as had learned from the mythology class, resembled a demented bull with a human's body. The skin was all black, the eyes glowing red, the mouth producing a slimy black foam, which burn with touched, and deadly horns protruded from the top of its head.

The Agents were right when thy said that there were far deadlier things than Strigoi in the world.

I watched, awed and horrified at the same time, as Roza battled the demon, first striking it several times with her Seraph blade, wounding the beast, but not killing it. The demon, while staggering still was strong, charging at Roza. She managed to get out of its path right in time, leaping out of its deadly path and scrambling to right herself as the demon turned toward her direction. It snarled and growled savagely, attempting to locate her. Raegar demons have exceptionally poor peripheral vision, and Roza took advantage of this fact as she threw her chakrams, several striking the demon on its side and embedding themselves into its flesh. This caused the demon to turn toward Roza, snarling once again as it finally spotted her, only to get two more chakrams flung at it. Both embedded into its skin once again, only this time the location was much more deadly.

Roza had struck its heart.

The beast fell to the ground, withering and growling in pain for a few seconds, before it stopped moving completely and crumpled.

Roza took off into the woods.

On the other side of the screen, Ben Noble was battling two of the Exspiraviti demons. These demons haunted those who had experienced loss in their lifetime, and considering most people had experienced loss at last once in their life time, these beasts were common. They floated as they resembled the ghosts one would see on television; their skin resembling papery white cloaks that were shredded, their eyeballs non-existent, their mouths perfectly round and filled with razor sharp teeth.

Noble struck out at the demons with the two swords he held in his hands. The screen was a flurry of papery white and flashing silver as he battled the two demons. Finally though, he managed to decapitate one, its head falling off and then moments later fading into ash as the rest of the body did the same with one last fearsome screech.

Seconds later, the second demon blew away into ash as well.

The thing about these demons was that they traveled in pairs, they were linked together. What happened to one, happened to the other.

On the screen, Noble took off into the woods as well.

"What you are seeing before you are the simulations in progress. With these simulations, you will be placed into our simulation room while a group of us will decide which simulation we will run to train you," Agent Smith started.

"Our simulations run the gamut with variety. With the technology we have we can create anything, any scenario we want for you all based on what skill we think you need to improve on. As you can see," Agent Tennant gestured to the windows, "we can create any landscape for you to run in, and demon for you to face."

And the man was correct. In Roza and Noble's landscape resembled a dense forest.

On another screen, in another room, Agents Goss and Jude were battling Strigoi in a bustling city landscape.

On another screen, two Agents leaped into a large lake, only to be faced with the mermite demon.

On another screen, two Agents fought the Ravener demon in a dark alleyway.

And so on and so on.

"Today you will observe these simulations in progress. Just watch the agents on the screen and the agents in the room. The setup at the Guardians is exactly the same as ours, and you will be training here with us and there with them. If you have any questions, we will be around to answer them," Agent Smith nodded.

"And one final note before we let you go. These simulations are timed. If you do not finish the mission, and most of these missions will involve saving your charge within the allotted time frame, the simulation will automatically end. And if you get injured during the simulation, the injury will not be present after the simulation has ended. However…if you happen to die during the simulation…" Agent Tennant trailed off.

"You will also be dead in reality," Agent Smith finished somberly.

There was a beat of dead silent as we regarded the Agents with wide eyes.

"We're just kidding!" Agent Tennant finally laughed uproariously as his partner joined him.

Guardian Coleman and Gillian rolled their eyes at the two men.

"Of course, if you happen to die in the simulation, the simulation will automatically end, and you will find yourself in the simulation room, unharmed," Guardian Coleman thankfully informed us.

"Now go on and observe," Agent Gillian nodded.

Danila snorted as we disbursed. "They tell that joke every time to scare the new ones."

Without even me mentioning anything, the man headed toward the window where Roza's team was located. We both stopped in front of the window, peering up at the screen

Back on the screen, Roza and Noble had managed to find each other once again and now were running toward what seemed to be a little cave. As they were approaching the cave, Agent Chandler gave an order to Agent Josh Ellerk and the man immediately went to work on the computer, his finger furiously typing. The hologram Agent Ellerk pulled up was of the Moloch demon. He glanced at Chandler, ad Chandler nodded before he pressed a button. Back on the screen, Roza and Noble managed to enter the cave, only to be met with half a dozen or so of the Moloch demons. These demons are dark and human sized with arms and claws, but formless liquid appendages in place of legs. They are made of thick roiling oil and their primary form of defense is flames that stream from their empty eye sockets.

"Holy shit," Nicholas muttered as he and his partner joined Danila and I at the window. "I mean it's one thing to read about these things, but to actually see them that up close…"

"Wait until you are actually in the simulation, or out fighting in the actual field," Danila warned.

Roza and Noble at split up on the screen, with Noble staying near the mouth of the cave and Roza heading deeper in. The Moloch demons split up as well with three tailing Roza and three staying with Noble. Here, the screen split into thirds; one portion on Roza, one on Noble, and one on Christian Ozera. The man seemed to be deeper in the cave that Roza and Noble were in. He seemed bored as he aimlessly paced the length of the small area he was in. However, this soon changed as he heard a loud bang, which came from one of the Loloch demons falling after one of Roza's daggers struck him. Noble, still at the mouth of the cave, managed to leap behind a large stalagmite to avoid fire from one of the Molochs. He too managed to slay one.

The action in front of me was both amazing and anxiety inducing. On one hand, watching Roza fight was incredible. Seeing the fighter she had developed into since our days at the academy together gave me a great source of pride and just made me fall for this wonderful woman all over again. One the other hand, watching her narrowly escape the flame from one of these demons was terrifying. I had just learned about these demons and watching Roza fight one of them without me there struck horror into my very being.

"Trust her. Trust yourself," Danila murmured from beside me, no doubt sensing my mood, "you trained her, and she just did the rest. She did not get so far into her career at such a young age by sheer luck. This girl is talented, and you know it. Believe it and relax."

I only relaxed a few minutes later when all of the Moloch demons were destroyed and Roza had gotten in to the area of the cave where Christian was being kept. The man sprung around to face her, relief visible in his face.

"Where's Ben?" He asked.

"He should be coming soon. I didn't get any of them following me," Roza panted slightly, nodding.

And indeed, a minute later, Noble sprinted into the room, looking around the small alcove they were in for any signs of danger.

Moments after that, a loud beeping sound rang out and all three within the simulation relaxed.

"Simulation complete. Time given was twenty minutes. Time completed was fifteen minutes and twenty seven seconds." Agent Chandler said into a microphone.

On screen Ozera nodded approvingly while Noble and Roza high fived, and then hugged, laughing all the way.

"Damn," Castile muttered approvingly as he joined us at the window.

"Indeed," Guardian Hathaway agreed as she also joined us.

Before I could analyze the hug though, the screen went blank and the sign above the door in the room went off. Seconds later, Roza and Noble appeared, matching grins on their faces.

Their team called out congratulations and exchanged high fives before Agent Chandler and Agent Dobrynin went into the simulation room. Roza sat in the chair formerly occupied by Chandler while Noble took the seat next to her. She said something to her teammates and they nodded, their fingers working to create the next simulation. Roza, meanwhile, turned in her seat, and we made eye contact.

She smiled at me, a small smile, but still a smile. And then something incredible happened. She looked directly at me and mouthed, 'I'm okay.'

From beside me, Danila chuckled quietly, clapping my back in perhaps congratulations while Nicholas grinned and Guardians Castile and Hathaway shot me some surprised looks, but I paid no attention to them. I focused on the beautiful girl in the room, separated from me by a glass window.

'I know you are,' I found myself mouthing back.

She smiled once more before turning back to her work.

Not a bad start to the week.

* * *

**Hoped you all enjoyed that! Now, let's have a little fun...Within this chapter there are three Doctor Who references. If you can get one reference, you will get a sneak peek of the next chapter, if you get two of them, a longer preview, and all three will get you the longest preview.**

**Of course if you do not follow Doctor Who, still leave me a review! I would love to hear your thoughts on this chapter, plus reviews help me write faster! I already have the next chapter outlined, I just need to write it, so let's shoot for another update by mid to late in the week!**

**Also, next chapter will be the Q&amp;A with Rose and Ben, so this is you last chance to submit a question!**

**Okay, see you guys later and as always, have a nice day/night wherever you may be!**


	28. Rosen

**Yes I know I'm late! I really need to stop saying I can update within a week when I can't because sometimes, like here, a chapter gets away from me and ends up being 12,549 words long. I just had too much fun writing this chapter!**

**Yep.**

**Also, the amount of times I have used 'grin,' 'chuckled,' and 'laughter,' in this chapter is atrocious.**

**I apologize for this and the lateness.**

**Forgive me.**

**As a side note: Ben lovers...this is dedicated to all of you!**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Rose Mazur**

"My my, something smells good! You're going to make a very good house husband to some very lucky girl someday Christian!" I teased as I entered the loft.

Christian turned around and shot me his signature glare, which currently was not at all intimidating considering the man was in an apron and holding a spatula before snorting.

"That's the ultimate dream isn't it Rose?"

"Don't sass me Ozera! And get back to making that food! I'm starved - wait, why is the dinner table all set up? It isn't Sunday." I attempted to raise an eyebrow.

"Yes, but considering someone left us for the woods yesterday, we are having Sunday night dinner on Monday," Jay shot me a sly look.

"Hey, I was setting up a cabin for your family! Have a little gratitude man!" I smirked as I entered the kitchen and stole one of the roasted potatoes Christian had made.

"Hey!" He protested too late while I simply rolled my eyes.

"Speaking of cabins…" Isabelle started slyly as she descended the stairs, "how was your day at one yesterday? With Dimitri Belikov?"

She said that last part in a high-pitch sing-song way that made me want to through a potato at her hair.

"Was it magical?" Lev cooed from his place on the couch.

Did you feel butterflies threatening to erupt from your stomach?" Denis joined in on the fun.

"Was it all straight out of a fairytale book?"

"Did you gaze into the man's eyes and feel complete?"

"More complete than you have felt in a while?"

"Did your hands accidentally brush, and you felt fireworks explode out of your hard?"

"Was it complete and utter bliss?"

"Were the birds chirping and the-"

My ever faithful partner was chuckling up a storm next to me at the antics of these two. Thankfully, the two idiots were cut off by the arrival of Jay's wife, Aria.

"You two need to atop reading those romance novels," she smirked as she entered the loft, her toddler on her hip and her husband immediately rushing to greet her.

"Daddy!" Little Jack squealed as Jay finished kissing his wife and turned his attentions to his son.

"Hey buddy!" Jay enthused as Aria transferred their child to his arms, "How was daycare?"

"It was so much fun! I drew a horse with Andrew and we had mac and cheese today and then I raced Fiona. She beat me and then she gave me a kiss! It was awful Daddy! Imma get cooties now and then-" Jack babbled on excitedly to his father as the rest of us looked on in amusement.

That boy was too cute!

We all listened to Jack's day for a while until Leigha showed up with Chuck, her boyfriend, in tow. Her concerned eyes immediately found mine.

"Weekend. Cabin. Stupid Russian. Do I need to kick ass?" Chuck demanded as Leigha rolled her eyes and cleared her throat. "Oh right, sorry. Do _we_ need to kick ass?" The man amended.

"Yeah, seriously though," Lev straightened up. "Do we need to kick ass?"

"Did he say anything to offend you? Hurt you? Disgust you?" Josh added as he appeared from the stairs.

"Did he try anything on you? Touch you in a way that did not cause fireworks to shoot out of your arm?"

"You need to invoke that birthday offer?" Christian called from the kitchenette.

"Why don't we let the poor girl speak before we all go after him?" Dianna rolled her eyes.

I shot her a look of gratitude.

The loft suddenly became quiet as everyone turned to me, even Jack seemed to know to something was going on and subsequently amused himself by playing with his mother's necklace. From beside me, Ben squeezed my hand. I squeezed back.

"Well, we made our way up to the cabin, made small talk – he asked about the weather - yeah, I know –" I cringed along with everyone, "then we got there. We set up the rooms, then we both set up the master bedroom-"

"Oh God," Jay groaned before his wife smacked him. "What? We have to sleep there!" He frowned as she rolled her eyes.

"We didn't do anything!" I rolled my eyes.

"Darn, and here I was kinda hoping you got some," Isabella muttered.

Lev nudged her, and she quieted, but not before shooting him a look.

"And we talked about stuff while we made the made bed-"

"Stuff?"

What kind of stuff?"

"Did shit get real?"

"Did the man pour his soul out? Did he give you a reason for being a dumbass?"

"Did you talk to him about your feelings? Did he listen?"

"You guys made the bed together? Oww!" Denis whined as Isabelle smacked in upside the head.

"That's the part you choose to focus on?" She hissed as he shot her an innocent look.

"Anyway," I cleared my throat and the room quieted down once again, "we talked about the past, why he did what he did, how I felt, stuff that's gone on through the years…" I trailed off, not wanting to get too into it.

The gang all knew about Dimitri and our past together, and I trusted these people completely, but right now I just needed to sort through this whole Dimitri debacle more before I talked to them more about it. They seemed to recognize this, and the subject seemed to be dying down.

"Did you get the answers you wanted?" Artur finally spoke from his spot by the stairs, Anastasia cuddled to his side.

She shot me a small smile, which I returned.

"Some of them, yes." I nodded.

"Okay then. No angry mob for now, but if that boy does something stupid or hurtful…" Jay trailed off, but the message was received as everybody nodded seriously.

"Pitchfork time!" Lev chuckled as the rest of us rolled our eyes.

Thankfully by this time, dinner was ready. Christian brought out the last dish and we all sat down at the table. That famous meatloaf, roasted potatoes, and sautéed broccoli. I think I drooled a little. Hell, judging by the look on everyone's face and how fast we all sat down at the table, we all drooled a little.

We chatted about our days, how we thought the simulations went, the simulation trainings, and more. Jack told us some more cute stories from his day at daycare and Aria about her new interior design project before I decided it was time.

"So, Chrissie…" I started off innocently.

The man snorted, "Yes Rosie-Poop?"

"How's school been without us? Do you miss us? Has life been unbearable?" I teased.

"Yes, it has been. I truly miss two people following me around everywhere and then making snarky commentary about my every move," he rolled his eyes.

"Hey, we only provide snarky commentary when you do something stupid!" Denis defended.

"Like get wasted!" Dianna chirped.

"Do a lab experiment wrong!" Isabelle smirked

"Actually let Dom talk you into being his wingman for the night!" Ben laughed

"Inadvertently cause something to explode!" Lev grinned

"Get tongue tied in front of a girl!" I smirked.

At this one, Christian's eyes narrowed.

"But not just any girl!" Dennis sing-songed.

"Angelica!" We all chorused, laughing a tad bit manically.

"Have you been caught staring at her yet?"

"Or making awkward small-talk?"

"Has she said, "Hey Chris!" and did your heart sing?"

"Did you smell her perfume and fall under her feminine wiles?"

"Have you doodled her name plus your name inside a heart on the margins of your papers yet?"

That last one got to us, and we all started uproariously laughing, even little Jack who couldn't have known what was going on, but sweetly giggled anyway along with us.

"I hate you all." Christian groaned, actually flushing a little at the mention of his chemistry partner. "Next time, I'm burning all your dishes."

* * *

**Eddie Castile**

Today was another special day. We were going to spend the first part of the day with an Elite Agent partner pair, to further our bonding. This time around, it was going to be a question and answer type situation, with the partner pair answering any questions we the audience would have for them pertaining to their work or partnership. This was an actually thing the students of Elite High and the Elite Academy had to attend, so we would be evenly divided among the parings coming to speak to us.

And guess who I just so happened to get as my speakers?

Ben and Rose.

So here I found myself, seated in an auditorium waiting for Ben and Rose to arrive. As soon as we sat down, we were told to submit our questions, any question we wanted answered, through a small handheld tucked into a flap in the seat in front of us. I had already submitted my question and was now observing everyone else.

The room was packed full of students and Guardians, eager to hear from the great Agent Mazur and Agent Noble.

"So Belikov, whatcha gonna ask her?" My charge drawled as he smirked from the other side of Dimitri. Honestly, the only reason Adrian was here was to kill time until Sydney came back from her day at some of the local home décor stores. Apparently, she felt the need to tweak some of the furniture in their home and insisted that Adrian not come along to "distract her."

And so, he tagged along with me.

As soon as we had seen the man alone, surprisingly without his new partner and friend, we took advantage of this, plopping down on either side of him and cheerfully engaging him in conversation, or at least attempting to as the man hardly was cooperating with us. His answer to Adrian's last question was a mere glance before he turned back to stare at the handheld's screen thoughtfully.

"If I were you, I'd avoid asking anything remotely close to love or relationships. Last year, the two of them got so many questions asking about 'their relationship status' and 'whether or not they were together' that this year this they put in a filter to block most of those questions. This is of course supposed to be an educational thing." Adrian smirked.

And he was right. Near the beginning, the questions were related to Elite work and partnerships, but by the end, most of the questions were silly and fun, and I know Rose and Ben like those kinds of questions so they did not mind answering them.

"So, what are you going to ask Rosen?" A soft, girly voice came from a few rows back. I didn't even need to turn around to know it came from one of the students.

Yep.

Rosen. A combination of Rose and Ben. Their "ship" name, if you will.

"I'm not sure. I mean, I heard if we ask too many relations not related to Elite stuff, our question's going to be filtered out." Came the reply from yet another student.

"I know! But I get filtering out the really invasive, personal questions, I mean, I would be uncomfortable too if I was asked I front of nearly fifty people about my relationship status."

"Or if I ever had feelings for my partner."

"I know right? But, I mean, I get why people can't help themselves! Rosen…I mean, they're just too cute together!"

"Yeah! Have you ever seen them interact during and out of work? They complement each other so nicely! They're adorable!"

"Imagine how cute their kids would be and-"

At this point, Dimitri let out a strangled choking noise, and our eavesdropping promptly stopped as other Adrian and I turned our full attention on the man.

"You alright there buddy?" He laughed, patting the man on the back.

In return, Dimitri simply gave Adrian a side-eye look.

Cold.

Moments later Danila Kozlov arrived, taking a seat directly in front of his partner, but not before shooting a partially amused and partially confused look toward our little trio. Dimitri could only shake his head apologetically.

Soon, the pair of the hour arrived, strolling onto the stage, looking visibly confused as they attempted to attach the mini microphones to themselves. A hush fell over the room, as the majority of the room was filled with younger students who had less interaction with Rose and Ben, and therefore were left to admire the famous pair from afar. As the dynamic duo were still fiddling with their mics, Agent Reid come on to the stage.

"Good morning to you all," he smiled pleasantly at the crowd, "today you all will get a very special opportunity to further your education and knowledge. Agent Mazur and Agent Noble have graciously dedicated their time to talking to you all today. I hope you have all submitted your questions, and I hope they are all appropriate."

The man shot the crowd a look and some chuckles and giggles reverberated throughout the room. Agent Reid signed once more, shaking his head with a small, amused smile on his face.

"Well then, without further ado, Agent Noble and Agent Mazur," Agent Reid finished with a flourish and left the stage, leaving Rose and Ben to be greeted with the polite applause.

"Thanks," Ben chuckled.

"So, we're here to answer your guys' questions about the Elite and partnerships, and even ourselves. Well, the questions within reason, at least." Rose added hastily while she and Ben exchanged amused looks.

"Hopefully by the end of this hour, you all will walk away with more knowledge about the Elite and Elite partnerships," Ben nodded.

"Or you all might be considering a career change because you don't want to end up like us, forever attached at the hip." Rose joked as she and Noble wrapped their arms around each other, shooting the crowd twin cheesy smiles as the crowd laughed.

"Okay, first question!" Ben and Rose twisted to face the large screen behind them that would randomly generate a question for the pair. After a few seconds, the first question popped up.

_**How did you guys meet?**_

"Our most popular question!" Rose and Ben smiled at each other. Fond smiles as they both recalled their meeting.

Honestly, I loved this story as well. I mean, how many men can saw they made Rose Mazur, bad-ass extraordinaire, cry and then moved on to become her nearest and dearest friend?"

"So, if you guys don't know, this magical bond started with my darling Rose insulted me and then I subsequently made her cry…" Ben started...

* * *

_Rose had been in Caelum for two days now, and she still could not believe what she had been through. Mid-way through their flight, the pilot had announced that they were now approaching the portal to Lux._

"_What the hell?" Christian had said, his brow furrowing in confusing. However, this was soon replaced with shock as the plane began to jerk, as if they were experiencing turbulence._

_Looking around, Rose saw that most of their other fellow passengers were not phased at all, continuing with their reading and napping or watching their movie on their screens. Beside her, Christian tensed, gritting his teeth as a particularly hard jerk hit. After that hard jerk though, the course became smooth once again. Rose looked out the window as Christian regained the capacity to breathe. _

"_Christian, look…" Rose trailed off as she looked out the window. Blue water replaced the green landscape she had spent the past thirty minutes looking at._

"_I don't think we're somewhere over Pennsylvania anymore…" Christian muttered as the duo continued looking out the window, wondering what the hell was going on._

_The pilot came over the PA system, "Ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived into Lux and are currently over Gaelam. From here to Caelum, the flight time will be approximately one and a half hours. We wish you an enjoyable rest of the flight." _

_Now, two days later, she found herself wandering the streets, alone. Christian was with his family. Yep, apparently, the other realms were safe havens for the children of illegitimate royals; in fact, we had even been greeted at the airport by one of Christian's aunt and cousin. His aunt Jacqueline, or Jackie, as she preferred it, welcomed him with open arms, as did her own daughter, Taylor. Christian had been a bit shocked at first, but then had readily accepted the two women, and of course he had, illegitimate or not, these people had been more welcoming and accepting than those royals back at Court._

_And they had been welcoming towards her as well, surprising her with how un-snobbish and down to earth they were. She had been invited to have lunch with then today, but she needed to be alone today. She started off her day heading over to Guardian HQ to speak to someone about a job, staring in awe over the building before finally making her way into the building. She came out twenty minutes with a while lot of paper work to read through and figure out._

_Stuffing the papers in to her bag, Rose checked the time._

_3:47 pm_

_After deciding to grab a snack, Rose wandered the nice downtown area of Caelum with a pretzel in hand, occasionally pulling off bites. She came upon a large square, the heart of downtown. It was as if Times Square had a baby with an Italian plaza. The streets were made of cobble stone with a majestic fountain in the center. Little restaurants and shops filled the area, and people milled about in the square; chatting and relaxing. Another thing that had shocked Rose were the people here; the sheer variety. Coming here had been quite a shock for both Rose and Christian, as while both of them knew "mythical beings" existed (Um, vampires anyone?) they were ignorant to the fact that there were more out there. There were more species of vampires than just the Moroi and the Strigoi; in fact, they were just two of six sub-groups. And it reached beyond vampires too. Hell, right now, just walking down the street, Rose spotted a girl with flowers for hair, a fairy. There was also a witch, her wand stuck into her hair bun as she casually walked down the street, ear phones in and phone glued to hand. Shaking the sight of this off, Rose turned her attention back to the buildings. A large Jumbrotron screen, fitted to a side of one of the more modern buildings was reporting the news, while some of what Rose assumed to be Top 40 music flowed at a nice volume out of some place. _

_What caught Rose's eye was the theater though, the Spero Theater, which apparently had a nice little café located inside it._

'_What the hell? I could definitely go for a Chai right about now,' Rose mused, walking up the marble steps to the theater. Once inside, there was no fee to pay as there were no more showings for the rest of the day, even Rose had to admire the beauty of the interior. The walls were painted a lush red with gold chandeliers dangling a few feet from one another. Where she was, on the ground floor, she was in a little museum/gift shop set up. People gathered around props and costumes, reading little cards about them. Rose bypassed this section, and the gift shop as well, and headed toward the cozy café located near the back of the floor. There were a few people inside, sipping their frothy espresso drinks and casually hanging around, but Rose paid no attention to them. _

_Her eye was caught by something more interesting._

_The walls of the café were made out of chalkboard – like material, allowing employees and customers to write on the walls. There were quite of few 'so and so hearts so and so,' 'I was here on whatever day,' and random inspirational quotes._

_Rose rolled her eyes. "So clichéd," she mumbled to herself, half turning toward the counter to place her order._

_Until something else caught her eye. _

_A cheesy inspirational quote._

_**'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. - Alfred Lord Tennyson**_

_Maybe it was the fatigue that was finally catching up to her, or the culture shock that was making itself know. Or maybe it was the triggers that the quote had brought upon her; of Dimitri, of their lost love, of what she had lost. Whatever it was, Rose snapped, and she found herself irrationally angry at the quote and the man who had wrote the stupid thing. However, since Alfred Lord Tennyson was no longer alive, Rose focused in on her next best target. _

_The man who had written the quote on the wall._

_He finished the 'n' on Tennyson right as Rose marched up to him._

"_That's a lie," she stated matter-of-factly._

_The man, turned, slightly startled but mostly bemused. Rose was so into her little rage-fest that she barely noticed how handsome the man was. If she had noticed, she would have seen that he was around her age, probably a few years older; tall but leanly muscled with a mop of dark blonde hair that looked like he had been running his hands through it the entire day. Stormy grey eyes met hers; amused._

"_Sorry?" A smooth British accent came from the man._

"_You heard me," Rose replied hotly, looking up at the man as he was taller than her, a bit taller than Adrian. "That bullshit line was written centuries ago by a man; a man who obviously knew nothing about love. And let's face it; your kind knows nothing about love. I mean, a girl could be right there, practically throwing herself at you, declaring her love, putting it all on the line, and you guys just shit all over it! All over it! Lord -what's- his- face probably just wrote it for the fame and money, anyway."_

_Rose calmed slightly after that little episode, the little sense that came back was thanking God that she practically hissed that entire spiel, so the other customers were still oblivious to her mini-melt down._

_In front of her, the British man smirked. He straightened his shoulders, crossed his arms and said, in his irritatingly smug tone, "Bad breakup, Love?"_

_Those three words…they broke Rose, they brought her fully back into the reality of her situation. Here she was, in another dimension, that she didn't even know existed until two days ago, without Dimitri or Lissa, the two people she loved the most that hurt her the most. She was alone here, with nothing but Sparky, who was dealing with his own issues, paperwork and a digested pretzel._

_These thoughts got to Rose, and mortifyingly, in an out of character move; Rose Hathaway began to cry._

_In public._

_In front of a complete stranger._

"_Oh shit! I'm sorry, so so sorry! I was just kiddin' around with you, Love. Shit, I didn't mean to make you cry, bloody hell, I really need to filter more before I say shit. Please stop crying! Let me buy you a drink! You like hot chocolate? Or maybe a tea? You seem like a tea girl, let me buy you one. Come, have a seat." No Filter British guy led Rose over to a small table for two, shielding her from some curious looks that some of the others were giving here. _

_The man placed their orders with the barista and paid before returning to Rose, who had managed to pull herself together and stop the crying. She wiped furiously with her sleeve until a white napkin came into view. _

_The British dude was offering it to her._

"_Thanks," she managed to clear her throat awkwardly, accepting the napkin and rolling her shoulders back before looking up and facing the man confidently. _

"_I'm sorry about that. I thought you would take it as a joke, I half anticipated a slap, but I didn't think you would cry! I mean, you don't look like the crying type and-" _

_The man rambled on apologetically, and Rose soon found herself growing amused with him as her apologized over and over with a hand constantly running through his hair and wide genuine eyes._

"_It's okay," she assured the man, effectively cutting him off. "You were right; I'm not usually the crying type. I guess, it just all got to me at the shittiest time. And yes, I did have a bad breakup, or breakups, to be exact," Rose frowned, thinking about Lissa._

_If the Brit showed any confusion or surprise, he didn't show it._

_Instead he said, "We all are entitled to meltdowns once in a while," he grinned and Rose found herself grinning back. _

"_I'm Ben."_

_He offered her his hand._

_She took it._

"_Rose."_

* * *

"Yep, we got off to a great start," Ben said sheepishly as they finished their story and the crowd stopped laughing. "Honestly, it worked out for the best, but it's been five years and sometimes I still feel bad about it. Like I think back to it and cringe so badly."

"I, on the other hand, have managed to forgive Alfred Lord Tennyson for writing that blasted quote," Rose grinned while we chuckled, "because that damn quote brought me my favorite person in the entire world."

She and Ben smiled at each other while the teenagers were sent into a whispering frenzy.

"Oh my God! Look at how they're looking at each other!"

"That will be an adorable story to tell their grandkids."

"The beginning of Rosen, how cute!"

"That Tennyson dude deserves a medal for bringing together Rosen!"

Adrian and I stifled our laughter as Dimitri stiffened after hearing the comments made by the students.

"Chill out man, they're just kids!" Adrian clapped his back.

Dimitri still didn't look 'chilled out,' even as the next question came up.

_**How did you become partners?**_

"So I'm sure you guys know how the partnering process works here. There are two ways. You can allow the Elite to randomly pick a partner for you based on skill set, or you and your partner submit a document saying that you guys want to be partnered together." Rose started.

Ben took over, "However, if you do that, they need to approve it, and sometime they find that your skill sets and focuses are not compatible, or they might decide that you guys will not be an effective pair, and reject the request."

"With us, we had been friends for three years at that point. I had just gotten to Elite I and Ben never had a partner before, but I think we both wanted to be in a partnership. Having a person with you out there was much more appealing than being alone, so I went up to Ben and asked if he wanted to be my partner" Rose grinned to the sighs of many of the students.

"And when Rose Mazur comes to you with those big brown eyes and that beautiful, charming smile," Ben wrapped an arm around Rose while she smiled that beautiful, charming smile at all of us, "you do not say no."

"Suckers," Adrian snickered, looking at the stupefied dreamy looks of many of the male members in the audience, including one Guardian Dimitri Belikov.

"And then we were approved by the Elite High Council. And the rest is history," Rose finished, again, to the sighs of many of the students.

I personally liked the way this Q&amp;A was going.

"I like the way this is going," my charge muttered gleefully, much to the chagrin of Dimitri.

_**Favorite mission together?**_

"Ooh, that's a good question," Rose turned back to face her partner from the screen.

"We've been on many, many missions together - how will pick Love, how will we pick?

"Well, I don't know about you, but for me, it's gotta be Ireland," Rose smiled a wicked smile as she looked up at Ben, a look that he returned.

"Ah yes, Ireland. Good times, good times…"

The chuckle that the two of them let out gave us the impression that something more than demon ass-kicking happened on that trip.

"I sense a good story coming on! Don't you Belikov?" Adrian once again clapped the man on the back happily.

"Stop doing that," the man grumbled as he shrugged off Adrian's hand.

"I feel a good story coming on," turning toward Adrian and answering the man's question.

"Thank you Eddie, for answering my question." My charge nodded happily, smirking at the look of irritation that grew on Dimitri's face.

"So, about two years ago, we were called to this little town in Ireland because someone had left a portal open and six Forsekken demons had escaped and they were very close to being spotted by humans."

"We were actually in Ireland at the time, on a layover so we were pretty close to the scene. We were actually coming back from vacation, Ben was in England visiting his family, like a good son, brother , brother-in-law and uncle," Rose cooed while Ben scoffed, "and I was in Scotland visiting my aunt and uncle and cousins. They asked us to go because they knew we were so close and were bored in an airport, so they gave us something to do. "

"So there we were in – where were we again Love?" Ben turned to his partner, grinning.

"Dingle. Dingle, Ireland," Rose said sweetly with a straight face…

Then she promptly burst into smothered laughter a few seconds later, joining most of the audience and Ben.

"C'mon Belikov, Dingle. It's a funny word!" Adrian tried to cajole Dimitri into laughing along with everyone else. Even Danila was chuckling quietly.

Dimitri did eventually smile a bit, though it seemed like he was laughing more at Rose's reaction than the actual word.

"Anyway," Ben's raised voice, though it trembled as he was attempting to hold back laughter himself, quieted everyone down, "we were called to Din – that little village in Ireland and we track down the Forsekken demons -"

"And for those who do not know," Rose added, looking at the Guardians that were in the room as well, "Forsekken kinda look like zombies, so a like a little person…but with grey, rotting skin, no eyes and poor motor skills. They're actually one of the fun ones to deal with." Rose added, noticing the grossed out looks on the Guardian's faces.

"So tracking them down through the village was the easy part. Within two hours we had managed to corner the six demons and eliminated them quickly…then came the hard part," Ben finished solemnly.

"So…the day we were there was actually St. Patrick's day, and we didn't realize this until we actually walk into the village, and were promptly handed a bottle of champagne by a random stranger."

"And because it was St. Patrick's Day, they was a lot of drinking and celebrating…"

"And of course, because our flight wasn't scheduled to leave until the next morning, our logical thought was-"

"Sure! When in Rome, right?"

"And neither of us had been to this part of Ireland-"

"I'd never been to Ireland, period, despite the fact that my uncle is Irish." Rose added.

"So somewhere between sharing a bottle of champagne and some pints of Guinness, we may or may not have managed to stumble back to the little inn we were staying at and passed out."

"I just remember waking up with a horrible headache-"

"And it just got worse when we got on the plane," Ben smiled fondly while Rose nodded in agreement, the same smile beginning to form on her face.

"But before the passing out and horrible hangover-"

"During the actual drinking-" Ben interjected softly.

"We had one of our best bonding moments. I mean I just remember the two of us sitting on the sidewalk while people partied on around us, talking, trading stories, getting philosophical like always when we get drunk…" Rose trailed off, smiling up at her partner.

"Yes, totally. And I think in that moment, it really me that, I truly had a partner. That, this girl right here," he wrapped an arm around Rose's shoulders, "was going to be with me for a very long time. And I had absolutely no problem with that. None at all."

"Likewise for the guy I deemed my new favorite person on Earth at that moment," Rose responded by wrapping her arms around Ben.

"Awwww," came the collective sigh from the audience, well the student part anyway, though some of the Guardians were smiling.

"Aren't they adorable, Belikov?" Adrian sighed, nudging the man.

The dark look that Dimitri sent was enough to quiet my charge, though the smug look on his face remained.

"However, as a side note! Let it be known we do not support binge drinking! It is a bad bad thing!" Rose added quickly, looking right at Adrian.

The man simply smirked.

"And on that note, next question!" Ben laughed.

_**Favorite moment together? **_

"Every moment together is magical," Rose cooed teasingly while Ben snickered but nodded in agreement.

"Honestly though, here's a little Elite partnership secret: the amount of time you spend with your partner is a disgustingly large amount of time."

Rose nodded in agreement with her partner, "I've only known Ben for five years now, but it feels like more. I mean I spend close to sixteen hours a day with this guy, and let's take my good friend Eddie Castile here as an example." Rose looked over at me, prompting some students and Guardians to look in my directions. I thought I heard some giggles but thought nothing of it, turning my attention back to Rose. "I've known Eddie since I was five, and I've only known Ben since I was eighteen. But the thing is, I see Ben everyday while I see Eddie once every couple weeks or so, so in the amount of time I've known Ben, I've gotten just as close to him, hell, let's face it here; I've gotten closer to him than Eddie, who is my oldest friend."

"Yeah, my closest mate since we were three, his name is Sam. And the moment I told him I got a partner, he's at the Elite in England, his immediate response was, "I'm going to get replaced, aren't I?" Ben laughed along with the audience and Rose.

"And in a way, he kind of was replaced by Rose…"

"Poor Sam, I'll call him after this, offer my condolences," Rose faux sighed sadly while we laughed at her statement.

"So, basically, what we're trying to get at here is that we've had a lot of moments together, and most of the moments we have are special to us…anything you want to add?" Ben quirked an eye at his partner.

"Nope, you are as eloquent as ever my dear partner," Rose shook her head before the next question popped up.

_**Is there anything that bothers or annoys you about the other? How do you deal with that?**_

"Ben's slightly OCD."

"Rose cannot keep a space clean."

The room filled with laughter as the two Agents playfully glared at each other after uttering their comments in unison.

"Go ahead, you can complain about me first," Rose smiled playfully.

"Thank you, Love. So the weird thing about Rose is that she can keep public areas clean. Our team loft is clean, her desk is pretty clean and organized, her car is okay, but her private rooms, like her apartment and her room here at the Elite, are an absolute mess. The amount of times I have tripped over something, like a bra or a shoe is ridiculous-"

"Hey, it is not my fault you are not using those stealth skills when you enter my room," Rose rolled her eyes.

Her comment sent the majority of the female population in to a fit of giggles.

"Enters her room…"

"I wonder how often he needs to enter her room?"

"I'm assuming often considering he _always _trips over her bra when he goes in."

That particular comment set off another round of giggles, triggering Adrian to grin widely and Dimitri to do the exact opposite.

"Anyway, how have I learned to look past this little annoyance?" Ben's continued response quieted the crowd. "Well, her changing is not an option-

Rose shook her head vehemently at that comment, drawing some laughs.

"Yep, that's our Rose!" My charge and I laughed together.

"So, I've learned to be more cautious whenever I do need to make the dangerous trek into her rooms for whatever reason," Ben concluded.

"I feel like the issue here has more to do with you constantly tripping over my bra than me being actually messy," Rose frowned.

Ben looked thoughtful. "True, I do hate falling over those damned bras."

"Well then-never mind, we'll talk about this later," Rose shot her partner a playful look. "It's my turn to complain now!"

Ben merely sighed while everyone else laughed, anticipating what was to come.

"So, Ben here is a little OCD. For example, with our weapons. When we come back from a mission and we're cleaning all the weapons, he's very meticulous and he notices every single speck and he will not leave it alone, so this makes weapons cleaning a very, very long process. Like it'll be almost eight and I'm be complaining that I'm hungry and those who know me know that bad things happen when I'm left to fester in my hunger, and this lug is still 'Just a moment Love! The speck is almost gone!' " Rose rolled her eyes while the rest of us, and I mean everyone, including Dimitri and Ben, burst into laughter at Rose's poor imitation of her partner's British accent.

"Well, I'm sorry guys! I'm better at Scottish accents!" Rose defended with a wide grin of her own. She shot her mother a mischievous look, which promptly caused Janine Hathaway to stop smiling and give her daughter a stern look.

Yeah, Rose's Scottish accent usually came out when she was doing an impersonation of her mother. It was pretty good and dead on.

Just don't tell Guardian Hathaway that.

"And I have learned to accept Ben's OCD. I think it's part of his charm," Rose cooed up at her partner, to which he responded with a wink.

That nearly sent the hormone driven students into a frenzy if it weren't for the next question popping up.

_**What do you think of Rose, Ben?**_

"Hah! You have to compliment me now! Yes!" Rose cheered while Ben frowned.

"First of all, I don't have to. It asked me of my opinion of you and my opinion could be horribly negative. And second off, you make it sound like I never compliment you, which is completely not true. For example, Rose" Ben turned to fully face his partner. He laced her fingers with his and gazed into her eyes.

"Oh Dear God…"

"These two-these two need to stop with their cuteness before my blood pressure shoots through the roof!"

"We're seventeen, we don't have to worry about blood pressure."

"Still!"

I was growing to like those teenage girls behind us.

The same could not be said for Dimitri.

"Rose, there are so many things that I love about you, but I think - I think what I love most about you is…is…is the fact that you bring me coffee every morning."

"Well, that was anticlimactic," sighed one of the girls sadly while Rose smacked Ben and the rest of us laughed. Well, most of us…Dimitri did not look impressed with Ben's answer.

"I'm kidding! Geez, women! Let me properly answer the question!" Ben straightened up while Rose huffed and pouted cutely next to him.

"Well, where do I start? Rose has been my partner for close to three years now, and what a three years it's been. You would think that with the amount of time we spend together we would be sick of each other, and trust us, we spend a lot of time together. Even off work because we live literally five minutes away from each other," Ben paused here to grin at Rose, who grinned back, the two of them sharing a little inside joke, "but every day I get up and I look forward to seeing Rose because I know with her by my side, my day will never be boring. This girl is an incredible Agent, and I'm incredibly happy and honored to be able to call her my partner. I feel like she always has my back and I hope she feels the same way because I truly do have hers as well. She has a wicked sense of humor and is incredibly witty and comes up with the wildest plans that somehow work amazingly well in the end and of course; she's incredibly beautiful as well. So, in short, what do I think of Rose? I think she's pretty bloody damn amazing, is what I think."

At the end of his little speech, Rose 'awwed' along with most of the girls in the audience and threw her arms around Ben, trapping him in a bear hug. The male students in the audience were impressed, though they were more impressed with Ben's 'skills' than his actual speech.

Typical.

The crowd quieted down once again as the next question popped up.

_**Do you tell each other absolutely everything?**_

"I told him my entire life story within five minutes of meeting him," Rose said simply. "After a few weeks, I told him the un-edited version." Both her eyes and Ben's eyes briefly met Dimitri's causing the man to stiffen.

Yep, I was stunned too when Rose told me she told a man, who she had only known for a few hours at that point, her whole life story.

"I told her my life story after she told me her life story. After about a year, I gave her the un-edited version." Ben and Rose exchanged solemn looks here, Rose taking Ben's hand and giving it a small squeeze of reassurance.

"I think when you've told someone your entire, un-edited life story, there isn't much more to hide about yourself, so yes, we do tell each other everything. This is part of the reason why I refuse to change partner; I've told him too much!" She shot him a playful look while Ben sent her another wink while the screen changed once again.

_**How are you guys so funny and amazing each other?**_

"We're just naturally gifted like that," Rose included a little hair flip after the end of that statement, which brought about a few chuckles.

"But seriously, I think our personalities just mesh really well," Ben started.

Rose nodded, "Yeah, we have very similar personalities, but yes, Ben is more serious than I am, no surprise there."

"And also our senses of humors are similar as well, so we like to play off each other and we can actually finish each other's sentences-"

"Like we're doing right now!"

"Yeah, that's one of the side-effects of spending so much time with one another," Ben grinned.

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Rose teased as the next question popped up.

_**You both experienced loss in your life. It's a dangerous world and people get hurt, but what would you do if it was your partner you lost? How would you react? What would you do?**_

"Why would you ask such a question?" Rose frowned, Ben having a similar look on his face.

"That's every partner's worst nightmare," the man said sagely.

"Uh, this isn't a topic we really talked about…because I guess we don't really like thinking about it…" Rose said, looking at her partner.

"I think, because we've spent so much time together, we've gotten used to one another, so we'd be pretty lost without each other," Ben finally aid.

"Yeah, the thought of getting another partner seems so weird…and wrong. So I wouldn't do it," Rose crossed her armed, she and Ben chuckling a little. "I'm going solo!"

"I'd retire!" Ben laughed, "No one will ever compare so I'm not going to try to find another partner."

"Yeah, so, let's hope nothing ever happens to one of us, or the other one will not be okay," Rose shook her head as the magnitude of their conversation set in on the rest of us

"Their devotion to one another is admirable," Dimitri finally commented as Adrian, Danila and I nodded.

"They're partners, and they'll be partners for quite a while," I finally responded.

If Dimitri was angered or disturbed by my comment, he didn't show it. His look became rather pensive instead.

Thankfully, the next question was much lighter than this one was.

_**Who would win in an arm wrestling contest?**_

"Depends on who's more drunk," Ben answered shamelessly as the audience clapped and laughed at his answer.

"We're being serious here! Completely sober, look and my arm and look at his arm," Rose gestured between her smaller, though toned and well-muscled arm, and Ben's larger, muscular arm, "Ben would win hands down."

"However when Rose has had a few, she becomes even more determined and aggressive than usual, so I think by the sheer amount of will and determination she'd exert, she would win." Ben finished as Rose gave short laugh along with the rest of the room.

_**Rose, would you try something in the theater since Ben tried something with dance for you?**_

A slew of excited whispers and a few screams of "Yes!" ran throughout the theater while Rose shook her head

"We should do _Taming of the Shrew_!" Ben enthused, only to have his partner smack his shoulder. "What? It's a classic, Love. You can't say no to Shakespeare!"

"The answer to that question is…maybe, but only because Ben was willing to dance with me! That's the only reason! My acting is not that good-"

"Um, if I recall correctly, your acting has saved us more than a few times while out on missions," Ben raised an eyebrow.

"That's because our lives were on the line, I mean, on the stage I imagine it to be quite different. I need adrenaline and pure fear to get the acting juices going,"

Ben nodded seriously, "So a thriller…I'll tell you if one pops up."

"Can you find one where there's a kiss?" One of the girls whispered as her companions giggled.

Dimitri was not as amused. No surprise there.

I also get the feeling he was not amused at the next question that came up either.

_**Do you guys have feelings toward one another?**_

"Well of course we have feelings toward one another!" Ben seemed outraged at the idea that they didn't have feelings toward one another.

The little pitter of excitement that ran through the crowd got me laughing. Haven't they figured it out by now?

"Yeah, we have lots of feelings toward each other," Rose nodded.

"Like this morning, I was grateful when Rose brought my coffee."

"And I was overjoyed to see Ben this morning…when he brought me my doughnuts!"

"But I was annoyed last night when Rose took the last roll at dinner,"

"However, the feeling of generosity that suddenly swept through me allowed me to share that roll with my Ben-Ben, with minimal complaints."

"And the fact the Rose shared food with me was so amazing, I was ridiculously happy and in shock at the same time."

"And because of his reaction to my generosity, I was amused and slightly offended simultaneously."

"So you see you guys," Ben grinned at the snickers that ran through the crowd, "we have many feelings toward one another. Our relationship is quite a rollercoaster."

"Yes, I mean the amount of feels we share…it is amazing!" Rose faux-gushed as she and Ben sighed twin-dreamy sighs.

"That was not the answer I was looking for." A female student pouted from a few seats down.

"Technically they answered the question…" Her companion added.

"Masters of deflection, those two." Adrian laughed as the next question came up.

_**Ben, why do you act?**_

"We all need hobbies," the man grinned easily. "Acting's been nine since I was in high school. I just kind of picked it up during my first year and really got into it. And now, I like to see it as my escape. You know I love the Elite and what I do, but it can all get heavy sometimes, you know? So acting and the theater are good places where I can go, and just be someone else for a little while, not think about the day at the office."

I could see Danila Kozlov nodding along with Ben. His reasons for acting were probably extremely close, if not the same, as Ben's.

The next question popped up on the screen, and I could not wait to see how they answered this.

_**Do you guys love each other?**_

Apparently some of the audience members, mostly the students, were still holding out hope for a straight answer from the dynamic duo.

They just had not learned.

"Ben?" Rose grasped Ben's forearm, forcing the man to look turn and look at her. Rose bit her lip, as if uncertain of her next words.

Dimitri tensed as the words left Rose's lips.

"Do you love me?"

If the Russian was tense before, it was nothing compared to now as we awaited Ben's answer.

Ben gazed at Rose intensely for a second before taking her hand in his once more. "Oh Love, of course I love you! Tell me, do you love me?"

"Don't be silly! Our course I love you Ben-Ben!" Rose cooed

"So the answer is yes, yes we do love each other." They grinned the same innocent grins that annoyed the audience members so.

"Why do they like toying with us?"

"I guess we forgot that friends can love each other too…I should have put 'love romantically' "

"The game is all a part of Rosen, I mean…"

I would have liked to hear what the girl had to saw, seriously, the teens had the best logic to defend their beloved Rosen, but the next question that came up got my full, undivided attention.

_**Rose, besides Ben, who is your best friend? Who has always been there to make you laugh with his amazing jokes, make you blush because of his handsome looks, and awe you with his talents?**_

Rose and Ben immediately looked at me after reading the question. She narrowed her eyes, he grinned and nodded approvingly.

I guess they figured out who asked that particular question.

I grinned back at Rose.

"I'm guessing that's your question?" Adrian smirked.

"Hey, they said we could ask anything! I didn't ask a 'Rosen,' question or an inappropriate one, she has no reason not to answer it."

Adrian nodded approvingly while Dimitri shook his head, whether from amusement or irritation, I could not tell.

"Well," Rose's voice brought us back to the important thing.

Her answer to my brilliant question.

"I have many amazing friends, both female and male, but whoever asked this question wanted me to talk about my best guy friend besides Ben, so let's see…" Rose crossed her arms and began tapping her chin, as in in deep thought.

That mischievous look in her eye did not escape me.

Oh God, what did I get myself into?

"There's Josh, and c'mon! Who doesn't love Josh? He's so sweet and he's just such a good-hearted person, plus, he gives the best hugs…but then, there's also Lev. He's just a big goofball, and watching him trying to pick up girls is hysterical, he comes up with the best pickup lines and he just loves life so much. Denis, he's just as goofy as Lev and he's so enthusiastic about everything; this job, this city, our team. And then rounding out the Three Musketeers is Arthur. He's quieter, kinda shy and that just makes him more endearing, and now that he's got a girlfriend, making fun of him is even more fun 'cause he gets really cute and awkward around her when we do that. And then there's Jay, who is so protective of the people he loves, he's like a big brother, and if I didn't have Aiden, he would be my ideal big brother. I love all those guys, they're such amazing men and I'm really happy they're in my life and I can call them my friends…but…" Rose trailed off, her eyes coming back to meet mine.

"I still love my Eddie the best. He's been with me through so much, in particular all the crap I had to deal with during my ten years. He's always been patient and loyal, from sharing his chocolate pudding with me when we were seven to helping me with crazy schemes when I was seventeen. He's just been the best. And look guys, he's here!" She cried excitedly, point right at me. "Let's give my best guy friend a hand!"

And because no one wants to disappoint the great Rose Mazur, within seconds, I had the entire room clapping for me. Deciding to go along with it, I stood and took a bow and then for good measure I blew Rose a kiss. She caught it and held it close to her heart before shooting me a wink.

Thankfully the six foot seven tall Russian looked more amused than angry as his partner whispered something to him that actually made him laugh for the first time probably all day.

"Yeah! Eddie!" Ben joined in on the clapping, as did my charge.

"Whooo!" He screamed, clapping me on the back.

And then Rose had to say something.

"And ladies! Ladies between the ages of eighteen and twenty three! He's single!" Rose cheered.

"Oh God," I groaned as the cheering grew louder, some girly giggles now more pronounced.

I sat down, shaking my head as Rose laughed merrily down on the stage while Ben shot me a thumbs up.

"Yeah, nice man!" Adrian cheered, encouraging this ridiculousness while Dimitri and Danila were looking amused as ever, though there was some sympathy in their eyes.

Ben and Rose let this go on for another minute before they calmed the crowd.

"Okay, okay guys! If you want to get to know Eddie better, find him after this, for now we need to move on." Rose called over the noise.

Soon the cheers died down and we managed to move on to the next question.

_**Have you two ever kissed?**_

The room became silent with anticipation with this question; some eager teen girls even leaned forward in their seats.

"Why yes, yes we have." Ben nodded in confirmation.

"Many times in fact," Rose added brightly.

The room was dead silent, several mouths were agape. This would have all been extremely funny if it weren't for the giant Russian sitting next to me, looking like he wanted to throw up.

Or punch something. That something being Ben's face.

"We can even demonstrate for you all now," Ben added, smiling broadly.

The gasp that ran through the room was comical, but nothing compared to the looks on everyone's faces as Rose and Ben turned and began to lean toward each other.

"My Rosen heart…it can't take this, it just can't," a whisper came from one of the students in the row behind us.

Adrian and I simultaneously had to cover our mouths to muffle the laughter that desperately wanted to burst out. Dimitri, on the other hand, definitely looked like he wanted to throw up as his eyes were locked on to the figures of Rose and Ben, which were leaning closer and closer together. Their eyes were locked, their lips were moments away from touching…

"Breathe Belikov," my charge smacked Dimitri on his very still back. Indeed, the man was very tense, he looked conflicted between shutting his eyes and

Until Rose moved her heard at the last second and planted a kiss right on Ben's cheek, punctuating the kiss with a loud smooching sound.

To say most of the audience was disappointed would be a severe understatement.

"We do that all the time!" Rose announced jovially as she faced the crowd once again while Ben was attempting to rub the lipstick off his face.

The dejected looks on the faces of the students was making it really hard not to laugh.

"Quite frequently," Ben confirmed, "here, let us show you again!"

And with that, he leaned over and gave Rose a soft kiss on her cheek.

Rose let out an exaggerated sigh, fanning herself while simultaneously trying not to laugh.

Ben grinned roguishly. "Was that as good for you as it was for me?"

That got everyone laughing as the auditorium filled with shrieks and giggles from the students and low chuckles from the Guardians.

Well, except Dimitri and Guardian Hathaway. They both just looked unimpressed.

"Every time is always a good time when I'm with you Sweetheart, and you know it!" Rose responded with a saucy wink.

Her response sent the teenagers into a frenzy.

"Be still my Rosen shipping heart,"

"Oh my God!"

"Did she just say that?"

"You guys know she's just kidding around right?"

"How do you know that?"

"Because they've been like this the whole time?"

"Shhh, don't focus on that, just let the power of Rosen take over…"

Oh God. Now, Dimitri, Adrian and I could not stop the laughter that came out from that comment. Well, Adrian and I couldn't, Dimitri just let out a little snort, but that was close enough for him.

_**Rose, a woman as beautiful as you will surely attract a male one day! What do you look for in a man?**_

Dimitri did not look pleased with this question, in particular the 'surely attract a male' part and how several males in the room looked really interested in her answer.

I turned to face my charge, who looked very pleased with himself. "Your question?"

He merely snickered in response.

Rose seemed to figure out who asked the question as well and looked less than impressed before her smile turned slightly wicked.

Oh, this was going to be good.

"Well," she started, "I'm pretty simple I think. I just need a man who is the complete opposite of my ex-boyfriend," she stated sweetly.

A rather loud "oooh," ran through the crowd while Rose laughed heartily and Ben shot Adrian an amused yet apologetic look.

Adrian responded by smirking…and then promptly flipped Rose off.

This just caused Rose to laugh even more before amending her earlier statement.

"Who was a great guy, really funny, complete definition of a lovable drunk. We're still friends today, he has a girlfriend now, I love her more than I love him, it's all good." Rose nodded. "So I guess to actually answer the question, I want someone who has all those clichéd characteristics all girls want, but most of all, I want someone who gets me, you know? And I know that sounds really simple, but…come on guys, it's me," Rose said, pointing to herself. "I'm a whole lot of crazy and hectic wrapped into one package, so I need someone to get that."

She finished, nodding, and several girls in the audience nodded along with her.

I couldn't help but look toward Dimitri, and found Adrian doing the same. Yes, we were angry at the man for what he had done to Rose and thoroughly enjoyed annoying him, but at the end of the day, he was the one who got Rose, who loved her. And at the end of the day, we just want Rose to be happy.

And when the two of them find their way back to each other, Dimitri will make her happy.

Well, he better…or else he would have an angry mob after him.

"Oh, and he has to get along with Ben." Rose added.

Dimitri's face hardened a bit, I noted.

"I know some female agents with male partners in the past have said that some men were insecure in the relationship because of the male partner. I mean, Ben's my partner, my best friend. He helped me out when I was in a bad place and I love him. So, yeah…sorry not sorry?" She shrugged awkwardly at the end, causing some to laugh.

"I would just like to add, that I'm a very reasonable person. I like to think I'm pretty easy going, and if I unintentionally made you insecure, I'm sorry," Ben added, the corners of his lips twitching, "I didn't realize I was doing it. I'll try to stop it." He ended dryly.

The audience chuckled and the next question popped up.

_**What is the CRAZIEST LOOKING monster/demon/creature that you have had to face after becoming partners? How did you fare? Were you able to eliminate it or did it get away?**_

"I'm going to have to go with Zygons. They are humanoid creatures with normal faces, but their bodies kind of resemble those of a cross between a human and a lobster in my opinion," Ben started.

"And they have these suckers, like the ones squids have, all over their body. They're skin is like a terracotta color, they're really crazy beings." Rose finished.

"As for how we fared…we fared pretty well. Zygons are deeply afraid of fire, and the first time we saw them we had our fire swords and torches, so we were able to distract it long enough to eliminate it."

_**What is the MOST DANGEROUS monster/demon/creature that you have had to face after becoming partners? How did you fare? Were you able to eliminate it or did it get away?**_

"So, those who know us, and have trained with us know about our scars," Rose started while Ben nodded, "and those were due to a Raegar demon. They so have the super speed thing on their side, and their body is that of a human but their head is that of bull's, so they do have horns."

"Those horns are extremely sharp and can pierce skin easily, and we know this from firsthand experience." Ben said, and I think we all couldn't help but think about those scars. Neither of them hid those scars, no matter how horrible they wore. They wore them proudly, and did not attempt to hide them.

"And, to answer the last part of the question, yes, we did get away. However, we were both badly injured and had to take time off."

The next question appeared, leaving the rather private matter alone.

_**Where do you see yourself in 5 more years? 10 years?**_

"Right here, doing yet another Q&amp;A session and answering this same exact question," Ben joked as laughter filled the room again. "Just kidding. Well, hopefully, still here at the Elite, still partners with this lovely woman next to me, and still with our team intact." He answered simply.

"I see us pretty much the same way," Rose agreed, "but you forgot to factor in our lovely charge, Christian. So hopefully by then, for the sake of his Aunt Tasha who really wants him to find a girlfriend, he'll have a girlfriend, or maybe even be married and have kids. Who knows with that one!"

"So we'll either be stalking him and his poor girlfriend, or playing babysitter to Christian Jr.?" Ben raised an eyebrow.

"Oh God…his spawn…" Rose whispered, appearing horrified at the very prospect, causing the audience to bust out laughing due to the look on her face while Ben patted her back comfortingly.

"And on that horrible realization, let's move on!" Ben smiled, still patting Rose's back.

_**If you two weren't partners, who would you want as your partner?**_

"No."

"No."

Came the twin answers from the playfully horrified Agents while we, the audience, laughed once again.

"Just-just no!"

"I don't know the meaning of 'another partner.' What does this phrase you speak of mean? Love, do you know what it means?"

"No, and I hope to never find out its meaning. I mean, the very phrase itself sounds terrible. It's giving me chills just thinking about it!"

"Oh my, well we can't have that can we? Next question!"

_**Agents gossip and students also gossip, it's part of society. What has your favorite/most ridiculous rumor about you two been? **_

"There've been so many…" Ben trailed off in thought, but Rose grinned.

Apparently she didn't have to think too far back for an answer.

"What?" Ben noticed the look on her face, his eyebrow quirking up in curiosity.

"I don't know of you heard this one…but apparently, one day we got so bored that we broke into the Moroi Court, tracked down the exact room my ex-boyfriend, not the drunken fool, the other one, lived in and broke into his room."

"That doesn't sound too crazy…" Ben furrowed his brow in confusion.

"We then proceeded to have hot, wild, baby-making sex. On his bed. You know, as my final act of revenge."

The fact that Rose managed to say that with a straight face was remarkable because the second she said 'baby-making sex' I, and much of the audience lost it.

Except Dimitri, you know, the person whose bed Rosen got it on in. He definitely wanted to punch Ben now, no doubt about it.

Danila Kozlov looked worried for his partner.

Janine Hathaway apparently was not amused at hearing her daughter's fantasy sex life.

"I remember that one. I mean, I was too outrageous to be true, but it was still a good one," one of the teens giggled as her friends voiced their agreement.

"Baby-making sex?" Ben repeated, stunned.

Rose nodded sagely, "Yep, people have that much faith in you and your swimmers."

That particular comment sent everyone in another bout of laughter, and this time, Rose's shoulders shook until she had to laugh too, so hard her whole body shook.

"I-I have no words," an amazed Ben finally sputtered out. "Uh, thanks, I guess?"

And cue another round of hysterical laughter.

"Okay, never mind! Forget I said anything, next question!"

_**Exactly how much training per day do you guys do?**_

"We go for a run together before work, and that usually lasts about an hour or so. And then at work we usually work on strength, agility, speed, stuff like that in the gym here at the Elite, and that takes another hour or so. And then lastly we move onto weapons, and that takes up the last hour of training. So let's say three hours? Give or take?" Ben nodded.

"It really depends on how lazy we feel that day," Rose smirked before another question popped up.

_**Would you ever get matching tattoos?**_

"If we were drunk and/or bored enough, yeah." Ben answered casually.

"Yeah, and let's face it, we get bored really easily, so the chances of us getting matching tattoos is really high." Rose added.

"So we shall keep you updated on the matching tattoo front. Next question!"

_**Rose, would you ever consider going back to the Guardians? Ben, how would you feel if that happened?**_

"You know, far be it from me to let a man speak for me, but here, I'm going to make an exception. Ben? You wanna take this one?" Rose smiled at her partner.

"Of course darling," Ben smiled sweetly, then turned to the audience sternly.

"No."

The look on his face combined with the simplicity of his answer caused another bout of laughter to run through the room.

"She's ours now!" He crowed cheerfully, playfully possessive, wrapping an arm about Rose as she laughed. "You had your chance Guardians, a partner is a partner, forever and ever! She's mine and you can't have her back. To quote my five year old niece…Finders keepers, losers weepers!"

"Ella is such an eloquent five year old," Rose giggled along with the audience.

"I should get 'A Partner is a Partner, Forever and Ever,' on a t-shirt," Ben grinned.

As soon as the laughter died down, the next question popped up.

_**What was your worst battle that you two faced together?**_

"We refer you back to the Raegar demons and the scars. That was one of our first missions together, and still, to this day is the toughest mission we've had," Rose answered while Rose nodded.

It didn't seem like they were going to say more, so the next question came up.

_**Have you ever thought about not having a partner?**_

Rose and Ben got seriously silent. They looked at each other for a few seconds, then turned back to us.

"Again…no," hey said in perfect unison, perfectly serious looks on their faces.

"I mean, honestly, what kind of question is that?" Rose laughed as we chuckled a bit.

"I don't even want to think about that," Ben shook his head, "next question!"

_**Is there a good luck charm that you rely on before you fight battles?**_

Rose immediately grabbed Ben's thigh.

Ben immediately tucked Rose closer to his side.

They grinned innocently.

And the fan girls went wild.

"Her hand! Her hand"

"Ooh, Rose! Get it girl!"

"Oh my God, did you see how quick they were to react and reach for each other? So cute!"

"I think this answers that question," Rose grinned, resting her head on Ben's shoulder cutely.

_**Rose, why did you change your last name to Mazur?**_

It didn't take a genius to figure out who submitted that question. I turned my head slightly to see Janine Hathaway a few rows down to my left. Her face did not portray any anger at her daughter's decision to change her last name, only curiosity.

"It gives me street cred, major street cred," Rose nodded seriously as the crowd laughed, she and Ben exchanging a look of amusement. Those of us close to Rose knew why she changed her last name, and 'street cred,' didn't even begin to cover it.

However, her answer made even made Belikov chuckle and Janine Hathaway smiled a little.

Just a little though.

_**What was the weirdest/funniest prank call you have ever made?**_

"I once was dared to call Eddie and declare my 'undying love' for him. He was horrified." Rose grinned at me while I shook my head, remembering that phone call.

"It was so funny, here I am, gushing about how much I love him and want to have his babies and trying so hard not to laugh while so, and the only thing he can say is, 'Oh God no! Rose, please tell me you're drunk!' "

The women in the audience shrieked with laughter along with Rose and Ben while the Ben in the audience shot me some looks.

Apparently they were shocked that I had refused the great Rose Mazur.

She's my sister. That's just gross.

Thankfully, Ben distracted them with his answer. "Lev dared me to call Rose and tell her I was leaving her for him."

"Oh my God."

"How is Agent Markov alive right now?"

"I almost had a meltdown when I got that call," Rose confessed as we all chuckled. "I was ready to hunt down Lev and chase him around the city with my Chakrams."

"Thankfully, when there was an extremely long silence, we just assumed Rose was coming for Lev so I quickly explained the situation. And then she proceeded to yell at me for a good ten minutes." Ben laughed.

"The best part was that Lev was so paranoid I was actually going to hunt him down he hid in his closet for two hours until he felt safe again," Rose clapped while snickering.

The crowd quieted down once again as Rose and Noble finished laughing. The next question popped up on the screen.

And man was this a question.

Everyone seemed to know this as an, "Oooh" rang out over the audience, along with laughter, there was plenty of that too.

Up in front, Rose stood, hand over mouth, staring soundlessly up at the question. Ben meanwhile, looked at his partner.

"You - you watch your answer now, I mean, our entire relationship hinges on this answer."

"How could somebody ask that?"

"This…this is the best question ever!"

"What do you think she'll say?"

Comments ran rampant over the audience quickly as everyone looked up at the controversial question.

"_**Rose, throughout the years, you have made clear your love of food. If you could only choose one for the rest of your life, which would you pick? Ben or doughnuts?"**_

Rose put her hand on Ben's arm. "It's not even a competition…"

"Doughnnuts?" Ben rolled his eyes sarcastically.

"Doughnuts!" Rose confirmed with a grin, setting off the audience who shrieked and laughed at her answer.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding!" Rose laughed as Ben pretended to storm out of the room. "Of course it's Ben! Come on now! Doughnuts can't kick ass with me, they can't give me warm hugs, they don't come with a charming British accent, or cook for me! I mean, I can totally just switch to doughnut holes-"

"Leave it to Rose to find a loophole," Adrian laughed heartily.

"But nothing can replace my Ben-Ben!" She ran to the man and gave him a great bear hug, which he returned affectionately.

And cue the audience.

"Awww…"

This time even Adrian and I had to join in.

Mid 'awww,' Agent Reid returned to the room, taking in our 'awww' and the dynamic duo hugging it out on the stage.

"Okay, when these two start hugging, it is time to end! Let's give a big round of applause for Agents Noble and Mazur…"

We did one better and gave then a standing ovation.

In return, Ben gave an exaggerated bow whist Rose did a clumsy curtsy.

"I hope they have taught you something about the Elite and partnerships today, and at the very least, they have entertained you with their antics. The Mazur and Noble antics are legendary around here."

"Aww, Agent Reid, stop flattering us!" Rose made an 'oh stop,' gesture with the arm that was not wrapped around Ben's waist.

The man's shoulders shook as he attempted not to laugh. "You may now all go on with your day; students, return to class and Guardians, please return to training. Thank you all for attending."

After one last round of applause for Rose and Ben, we all began to file out of the auditorium. The Guardians went one way while the students when another. On my way out, I spotted several of the students with their phones, fingers furiously tapping the screens. Adrian noticed too, and grinned devilishly.

"How much do you want to bet they're trying to start a Rosen hashtag?"

* * *

**It's pretty late where I am, so apologies for any grammar/spelling mistakes. I shall fix them later on!**

**Well, there was the long awaited Q&amp;A chapter! I hope you all found it okay, I know I got a bit carried away! Honestly, there were more amazing questions that you guys asked and I wanted to put in, but the chapter needed to end eventually. Also, alot of you wanted to know the backstory on the scars, but that particular story is reserved for Big Talk #3! Please leave your thoughts and your favorite moment in a review! I'd love to see your reactions to my longest chapter yet!**

**We are now going to be focusing on training more and the threat at hand, and Rose and Dimitri will be getting closer!**

**Up next: some simulations, some family time, and some Romitri!**

**Thank you guys as always for reading and reviewing and I wish you all a good day/night wherever you may be!**


	29. Dimitri's Crew and a Surpriseor Four

**I apologize for the lateness on this one! I caught a small cold and kept taking naps on accident. :( Also, school has started again and the tests, papers and presentations are coming in full force. **

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Dimitri Belikov**

"Are you sure you are okay?" Danila asked as we made our way toward the simulation rooms. Today was our last chance to observe before we actually started working in the simulations ourselves the following week.

"Those, teenagers, I know they can be quite ridiculous," he added, referring back to the Q&amp;A session this morning.

And it was quite the interesting morning. Between 'Rosen' and the comments coming from Castile and Ivashkov and the students, to say I was feeling a bit conflicted was an understatement.

On one hand, all the comments and the 'Rosen' support that were coming from the teenagers had made me seriously wonder about their thought process and worry for the future generations. I had also seriously contemplated punching Ben Noble in the face. On the other hand, I did find the question and answer session quite helpful. The answers that they had provided had brought some insight into the Elite, their lives, their dynamic and filled in some, not all, gaps between when Rose left to now. And Ben Noble. Though some moments I truly did want to take Roza as far away from the man as possible, his behavior and playfulness during the Q&amp;A did not scream 'dedicated boyfriend,' and I know this is a horrible thing to say, but it gave me hope. Roza and Noble had never actually said that they were a couple, every rumor out there was based on pure assumption. I admit I had allowed those rumors to get to me a bit, but today…today their behavior toward each other did not say 'loving, happy couple' to me. I mean, it is obvious they are extremely close and care for each other deeply, but there wasn't that deeper connection that allowed friendship to transcend into romantic love.

Or perhaps I am just being hopelessly optimistic.

"Yes, they were." I acknowledged, "but they're teenagers, what else did you expect? Besides, I found them less agitating than the two men sitting beside me."

Danila gave a short, surprised laugh at that comment, and we continued on to training.

We reached the now familiar simulation room and stepped in. The simulations were already in progress with a few pairs already observing. And of course, the tea that was in the window closest to us, was Roza's team. Up on the screen, Agent Lightwood and Agent Markov were scrambling around a mountain range as a Raegar demon was in hot pursuit. At the helm of this simulation was Rose as she directed her team members with that to throw at the poor agents in the simulation next.

As if she could feel my gaze on her back, she turned and met my gaze.

This was the hard thing about this new Roza.

She was much harder to read than when she was back at the academy. Her eyes didn't betray any emotion as we stared at each other, but after a few seconds, she gave me a brief smile before turning back to her work.

However, her partner did not do the same thing.

Ben Noble continued to hold his start even after Rose turned back. His eyes seemed to be assessing me, observing me.

Quite frankly, I did not appreciate this, and perhaps Noble somehow sensed this because soon after his face finally broke out into a little smirk before he too turned back to work.

"Remember, the man is here to help you. It would not do any good to apply any bodily harm to him," Danila murmured, "no matter how badly you want to."

* * *

**Saturday**

"So I heard 'bout the rumor," Nicholas grinned at me the moment I came down for breakfast.

"You know the one…" he trailed off slyly as I quirked an eyebrow, "that Rose and Ben got it on in your bed."

"Teenagers…they come up with the stupidest ideas." Pavel snorted before he took a sip of his coffee.

Sergei couldn't even be seen, his person being covered by the day's newspaper.

I managed a weak laugh before returning to my breakfast. To be honest, the moment that Roza had shared that rumor, part of me wanted to fly into a blind rage while the other part of me felt sick at the images that flooded my mind at that moment.

Images of Roza and Noble…undressing…touching…laughing at me as they-

I took a large gulp of water to sooth the ache in my chest.

I knew it was just a rumor, that Roza and Noble were not that cruel, but the very thought of another man's hands all over her…it nearly destroyed me.

"Dimitri…are you sure you're okay?" Nicolas' voice broke me out of the dark thoughts that threatened to take over.

Clearing my throat a bit, "Of course, why do you ask?"

"Well, you're choking that cup of coffee like we all know you secretly want to choke Agent Noble," the man snickered as I loosened my grip on the mug sheepishly. Pavel simply shot a sympathetic smile my way while Sergei continued to be Sergei. Honestly, I'd known the man for months now and I think I've heard him speak a grand total of three times.

"Hey, it's okay man. I mean, I would feel the exact same way if I was in your poor shoes. I mean, having to watch the girl of my dreams run around with a guy with an alarmingly charming accent and an impeccable way with pet names, I'd be hating life a little too."

"That's a little dramatic, but thank you for your support Nicholas." I responded dryly.

"No prob. But I mean, hey. If you really want this girl back, you have got to step it up. I mean, you're just pining after her still, after all these weeks. If you ask me, you got to start wooing the girl! You know- get your romantic on and-"

"So," thankfully Pavel changed the subject quickly, "what's on the agenda for today?"

"Well, I wanna check out this used bookstore near Little Russia, I need to find a gift for my mom, it's her birthday coming up-"

"What a good little son," Pavel teased as Nicholas rolled his eyes.

"But other than that," Nicolas continued as if Pavel didn't interrupt him. "I'm pretty open to anything else."

I suddenly remembered something.

"Danila wants us to join him for lunch at Finn's restaurant. He says you are all welcome to bring your partners and charges."

"Sweet, I mean Olesya can't make it, she has some yoga class-"

"Sure she does," Pavel snorted.

"And our charge actually went with her, so I'm all your guys' for the rest of the day."

"Lucky us," Pavel rolled his eyes, "I will call Matt and see if he will come. Sergei, will you call David?"

We took the odd grunting noise that came from the man as a yes.

"That's the spirit Serg!" Nicholas enthused.

* * *

As it turned out, Pavel's partner and Sergei's partner could have lunch with us. After giving them directions to Finn's restaurant with promises to meet them there at one o' clock, we set off for the used bookstore.

It was a small shop, a bit dusty but well kept, mere minutes away from Finn's restaurant. The small space was filled from floor to ceiling with books and there were already a few people there browsing the wide selection. We too browsed around for quite a while, just enjoying the atmosphere of it all. Nicholas finally selecting a cookbook for his mother, Pavel choosing a few Shakespeare works, Sergei choosing a few mysteries and I was surprised to find a few Westerns that I had not previously read. Soon we were headed to _Pierogi_, meeting up with Pavel's and Sergei's partners and Danila before promptly being seated and fed.

Finn had prepared quite the feast for us, sending us six courses, dishes just bursting with flavor and reminding the Russians in the group of home.

Sergei even made a facial expression akin to surprised contentment as he took in a spoonful of the ukha.

The rest of the table had to pause and double check that we were actually seeing what we were seeing.

All in all, it had been a pretty interesting. Guardian Miller, Pavel's partner reminded me of Guardian Castile, very friendly, nice conversationalist. On the other hand, Sergei's partner, Agent Hall, was as stonefaced as Sergei, keeping quiet throughout most of the conversation. We talked, mostly about topic pertaining to work and training; sharing stories, trading fighting techniques, simulation advice was given and gladly received, and before we knew it, the last course was being taken away from the table.

Soon after that, Finn appeared in his crisp white chef's coat.

"How did you all enjoy the meal?" The man grinned.

The general consensus was that the food had been amazing, and Finn gladly accepted our compliments. After that Guardian and Miller and Agent had to leave, once again thanking Finn for the meal before leaving. Finn had to head back into the kitchen soon after that.

"If I leave them alone in there for too long, shit will hit the fan. I mean, I got a couple hot heads back there and a seemingly never ending supply of knives." Finn grinned and with an over exaggerated bow, he disappeared back into the kitchen.

"Shall we head out, gentlemen? Take yet another stroll around the little wonder that is Little Russia?" Nicholas chuckled as we stood to leave.

"That tone of sophistication does not befit you," Pavel said dryly, "but yes, let's see if we can find something to do until later on."

"I resent that," Nicholas rolled his eyes, making his way to the exit leaving the rest of us to laugh at his antics.

Well Pavel, Danila and I laughed.

The five of us made our way out of the restaurant and onto the busy street. There was a farmer's market going on today, so the crowd was rather large. We browsed through the stalls, Nicholas picking up a jar of pickled herring just "for the hell of it," but for the most part just enjoying a nice calming weekend before the start of a hectic work week started again.

I was watching a man at his woodcarving stall crave what resembled a flower when I felt someone watching me. Before I would turn, she spoke.

"Hey Comrade."

I turned. A "Roza" ready to fall from my lips before it suddenly died, her name not managing to leave my mouth because of the sight in front of me.

Roza, a vision as always with her hair beautifully loose and in a bright red sundress, her signature leather jacket over the dress. But this was not what caught my eye.

She had a man with her, one who I had never seen before. He was tall and tanned, his skin tone almost the same as Roza's. His hair was a dark brown, nearly black and his eyes were a light brown and were assessing me with some amusement in them.

And they had three small children with them.

* * *

**A mostly filler chapter that ended with a cliffy. Haha.**

**Or maybe not if you can figure out the guy with Rose is! I don't think it's that hard to figure out!**

**Next chapter: a Sunday at the beach and the first simulation session. And you know what this means!**

**Shirtless Dimitri and Rose in a swimsuit. Bikini anyone?**

**I will do my best to update before next Monday to make up for the lateness on this one!**

**Thank you guys for being patient and sticking with me as I struggle to stick to a updating schedule! It would be my dream to update every week for you guys, but with school and work, that's not always possible. But it means so much to me every time I see a review/favorite/follow and I know people are still reading!**

**As always have a nice day/night wherever you may be.**


	30. The Weekend and an Update

**I know I'm two days late. Forgive me?**

**In other news, I have a pillow that's fluffy...much like this chapter...well most of this chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Dimitri Belikov**

"Roza," I trailed off, stunned.

I couldn't take my eyes off the children. The one who looked the oldest was a girl with blonde ringlets and hazel colored eyes. The next two, a little boy and a little girl, seemed to be closer in age with the same colored hair as their presumed older sister, but with blue eyes instead. They were all small, still toddlers by the looks of it. I could see no trace of Roza in them, nor could I see any resemblance to the man with her.

I knew I must've looked odd, my eyes darting back and forth from Roza, to the man, to the children who were currently gaping up at me.

"You're a giant," the oldest child piped up, breaking the silence.

"Luna," the man chided gently, though his eyes and tone held amusement.

"What? It's true daddy," the little girl defended, looking up at her father with wide innocent eyes.

"Dimitri, this is my brother Aiden. And these are his kids; Luna, Luke and Liana." Rose gestured to each person as she introduced them.

The oldest one gave me an exuberant wave while the younger two simply stared shyly up at me.

"Brother?" That was the only brilliant response I could get out.

"I'm afraid so," the man spoke up suddenly, coolly extending his hand.

"Aiden Mazur. It is so nice to meet the great Dimitri Belikov I have heard so much about. My sister's told me some great stories-damn!" Aiden Mazur frowned, rubbing the spot where Roza, his sister, had pinched him. "What? I'm making polite conversation over here."

Roza simply shot him a look. It was a look that I had often seen from Sonya and Vika when they wanted me to stop talking...usually because of a boy.

It was slightly startling to see Roza give that look to her brother, mostly because of the fact that she now had a brother. Looking at them more closely now, I could see the resemblance, the same skin tone and hair color they inherited from their father, the man had also inherited his father's height.

"Abi," Roza hissed while the man continued to smirk.

"Right right, I'm getting the message. Come on kids, let's let Auntie Rosie talk to the giant man. Let's go see if we can find grandpa in this chaos."

Grandpa? Zmey? Not exactly my the first person I think of when I think of a grandfatherly figure.

The younger two obliged, taking their father's hands, though looking a bit put out that their beloved aunt wasn't coming along.

The oldest child, Luna, tailed her father but not before turning back to me and Roza.

"Hurry back Auntie Rosie! And nice to meet you Mr. Giant!" She chirped before skipping back to her father and siblings.

I had to smile at that one. Beside me, Roza let out a small chuckle.

I cleared my throat.

"So, you have a brother." I commented. It was a slightly surprising prospect. Zmey was known for his shading business dealings and questionable fashion choices, but not particularly for womanizing.

"Come now Dimitri, did you honestly believe that the great Abe Mazur was only capable of only letting loose on the world one of his offspring? I mean, that's too much amazingness to fit into one person. You need at least two people." Roza finished, smiling charmingly up at me.

God, I had missed her Rose logic.

"I never thought about it like that," I conceded. "So are you having a family day?"

Roza nodded, a soft smile on her lips. "Yeah, the old man's idea. Ever since he found out about Aiden, he's been forcing family days on us all."

"I never pegged Zmey as the family bonding type of man" I slipped out before realizing what I just said.

"Sorry, I know he's your father-"

Roza waved me off. "Please, I still call him old man. And Aiden's at this awkward place of going back and forth between Old Man and Abe."

"I see," I chuckled softly.

There was a small pause.

"So, you have a brother," I prompted.

"Half-brother, but we never call each other half-siblings. Aiden's Abe's son from his very first relationship. He never knew about Aiden until a couple weeks ago. I didn't even find this out until I came here."

"Must've been a shock, finding out you have a sibling, and you're an aunt too."

"Oh, the kids aren't biologically his. They're his girlfriend's from her previous relationship. But he loves them like they're his own and that's all that matters right?"

"Of course," I nodded, impressed at the responsibility that the man willingly took in. "He seems...nice."

Roza laughed at that one. "He's my brother, that display back there was just him trying to mess around with you. I'm sure you've done that with Viktoria and Sonya."

I had to smile at that one. What she said was completely true, hell with my height, I even managed to intimidate some of the older boys interested in Karolina.

"We're brothers, intimidating other males who are in a close vicinity around our sisters is part of the job description."

"Ha! Sure it is." Roza's eyes filled with mirth, and the day suddenly got a little brighter. "Are you here getting lunch at Finn's restaurant?"

"We actually just finished," I gestured vaguely toward the restaurant's direction. "Have you been there before?"

"Oh yes, Danila took me and a couple members of the team one time. It was amazing, and Finn...well, Isabelle appreciated the eye candy." Roza smirked at some faraway memory.

I had heard from Danila and many others that Finn was a shameless, but harmless, flirt. However, he was also known to invite a woman or two back to his place after work.

"He reminds me of Ivashkov," I mumbled.

Roza laughed. "Yeah, but with a work ethic and a skill set."

We both had to laugh at that one, and the warm feeling that took over me as we laughed together was one that I hoped to feel more often in the future.

However, the moment was cut short by-

"Kiz!"

"Dimitri?"

Damn Nicholas.

Roza and I were shoved out of our little bubble promptly, turning to face the people that had called out our names.

Nicholas stood by the stall next to the one Roza and I were standing near, smirking. Abe Mazur stood on the other side in one of his signature loud suits and a quirked eyebrow.

"Yes Old Man?" Roza rolled her eyes.

"Nothing, I was just wondering where my dear daughter was. The kids said that you were talking with a 'big man,' and I just had an inkling of who that might be. Turns out that inkling was right." Mazur's eyes flashed to mine, partially threatening, partially amused.

"Belikov, what a pleasant surprise."

"Mazur," I acknowledged with a slight nod.

"Nicholas."

"Boss," Nicholas actually saluted with a large grin on his face.

"Can I expect to see you tonight for dinner?"

"Yes Boss, Pavel and Sergei too."

"Excellent," Mazur nodded approvingly.

And then he turned to his daughter.

"See? The boys will be there! Will you come over for dinner now?"

Roza rolled her eyes and frowned at her father. "I already told you Old Man, I have a lot of work to get done for next week."

"Oh kiz," Mazur sighed. "Why on earth did you have to inherit your mother's work ethic?"

"Something had to balance the crazy scheme hatching ability I inherited from you." Roza shot back.

Mazur grinned, obviously pleased with himself. "I only give my children the best parts of my personality. Nothing less will do."

Roza rolled her eyes at that one, Nicholas did so as well.

"Was there an actual reason you came to find me Old Man?"

I think it goes without saying Mazur wanted to see if I was actually here, talking to his daughter.

"Just looking out for my dear daughter, making sure she didn't get lost…run into someone…" Mazur trailed off, eyeing me with a critical eye.

"Well I was talking to Dimitri," Roza huffed, crossing her arms, "so I was fine. I am fine."

I would be lying if I said that that statement did not make my day.

Abe Mazur actually put up his hands in surrender. "Okay, just checking up on my children, like a good parent would."

"You know what else a good parent would do? Go hang out with his grandkids so their father doesn't have to manage three kids all by himself."

"Ouch Kiz," Mazur smirked, "that hurt. But I get the message…I'll go now. Nicholas…Belikov." And with that, Zmey nodded, then turned and disappeared into the crowd.

"So dramatic," Roza muttered.

"Well, now we know where you get it from," Nicholas joked.

"Is something the matter?" I quickly interrupted before he could make another comment.

"Oh no, we were just wondering where you ran off to, but uh, I guess you're okay. So…I'll just be on my way now. We'll be at the…place. Bye Rose!"

And with that, Nicholas was off, but not before shooting a large cheesy grin toward my way.

"Sorry about that," I muttered.

""Please, I'm sorry about the Old Man. I swear, it's like he's choosing to embarrass us with his lame 'Dad' moments now since he didn't get a chance to when we were younger." Roza shook her head.

"He means well." Even I had to admit that the man was trying to bond with his children.

"I know," Roza sighed.

There was another beat of silence.

"Do you have work tonight? At the studio?" I prompted.

"Oh no. I switched my shift to a morning class earlier today. I have prep work for Monday."

"Right, simulation day," I muttered.

"It's just the first day, we'll go easy on you." Roza smiled.

"I highly doubt that," I smiled back, and Roza's smile turned into a smirk. She opened her mouth to retort when-

"Aunt Rosie! Are you done talking to Mr. Big Man Yet? Grandpa said that you would take us to get a snack!" The oldest child, Luna suddenly bounded up out of nowhere, taking Roza's hand.

Roza shot me an apologetic look, "Of course sweetie. Why don't you go run and get your brother and sister while I say goodbye to Mr. Big Man?"

Roza shot me a wink and I had to grin at her usage of the child's nickname for me.

"Okay! Bye bye again Mr. Big Man!" The child chirped before running off once again.

"It seems like you're needed," I prompted.

Roza sighed…regretfully? "Yes, I guess I am. See you around Dimitri. And don't worry about Monday. You'll be in good hands."

Good hands? Would I be in the training simulation with her? I couldn't imagine any better hands…

"I'm sure I will be. Bye Roza," I trailed off ruefully before she smiled at me one last time, and disappeared into the crowd.

I turned back, attempting to find my group,

Only to see them a couple yards away from me, broad grins on their faces. Well, broad grins on the faces of Pavel, Nicholas and Danila.

"Pleasant chat, Belikov?"

* * *

**Sunday**

"Man, this was a nice day," Nicholas sighed as he laid back onto his towel.

It was the warmest day of the year so far, and plenty of people, we included, decided to take advantage of the fact and head to the beach. Danila of course was the guide and brought us to the biggest and most popular beach in Caelum. By the time we got there, which was about a little after noon, the beach was already packed with people. There were a surprisingly large group of our fellow Guardians, and Agents as well. Over the past months we had been here, the relationships between our Guardians, their Guardians and the Agents had grown tremendously. Friendships had grown from the few months that we had been here, partnerships, even relationships…

"You're just saying that because you managed to get some phone numbers today," Pavel rolled his eyes as Nicholas grinned and looked down at his arms, where approximately five numbers from various girls were scrawled.

"Hey, it's not just that! I mean, Danila, you my friend, are an amazing surfing instructor. It was incredible out there!" Nicholas tipped his bottle in Danila's direction, which Danila returned.

"You all were wonderful students, the-"

"Hi Mr. Big Man!"

Danila was cut off with the arrival of a familiar chirp. Turning, we saw the little blonde head and bright eyes of Roza's niece, Luna.

"Hello," I had to smiled softly back at the sweet, innocent smile the child has plastered on her was wearing a child size shorts and a sleeveless shirt. Her hair was wet, no doubt from playing in the water, and sand stuck to her little legs.

"Are you here to play at the beach ?" The small girl enthused, her eyes brightening even more at the prospect.

Everyone had to grin at that, even Sergei seemed to lift the corners of his lips into a semblance of a smile.

"We did a little bit earlier, we're taking a little rest right now," I answered gently.

Luna frowned and crossed her arms. "You all are tired already?"

"We're old, sweetie. Not at all young and active like you," Pavel interjected, laughing.

The girl seemed about ready to open her mouth to speak once again when she was cut off by a voice calling out for her.

"Luna! What are you doing over here? You said you were looking for shells near the waves! I was worried si - oh hey guys."

Roza shot a pleasant smile in our direction as she arrived to stand by her niece.

Good God.

I suddenly felt like a hormonal sixteen year old again. My mouth went dry while my jaw slackened. I'm pretty sure I went still as soon as I laid eyes on her, and the fact that I had once seen the smooth, supple and perfectly tanned skin that was currently being covered by that deep red, two piece bikini was not helping matters at all.

Good God, why did _that_ thought have to enter my mind? This was not good…

"Hello Rose."

"Hey Rose!"

"Fancy meeting you here!"

Danila, Pavel and Nicholas greeted her, like proper men would while I still sat silently like a fool, my eyes greedily roaming over her figure.

"Aunt Rosie! They're not stwangers! You said Mr. Big Man was your friend!" Luna suddenly piped up.

"'Friend,'" Nicholas snickered as I heard Pavel and Danila attempt not to laugh along with him.

"Still, you should've have run off like that! You scared Aunt Rosie!" Roza admonished gently, displaying a surprising maternal side to her.

Was it wrong that I was finding this incredibly enticing right now? Probably yes, considering that we were in public and there was a child present. God, I should probably do something…hell, just saying something would be good right now.

"Sowwy Aunt Rosie," the child apologized sweetly, wrapping her arms around her aunt.

"Hi Roza," I finally managed. I wasn't entirely sure what I sounded like, but judging by another smothered snicker from Nicholas, I was sounding every bit like the hormonal teenager I was currently feeling.

"Dimitri," she greeted me with a smile before nodding at the other four, "boys. You guys having some fun in the sun?"

"Yeah, I mean, it's such a nice day out and it's the last day of the weekend. We figure, might as well go all out." Nicholas explained.

"You know you're old when going 'all out,' means spending a day at the beach." Pavel joked.

"How about you? Having another family day?" Danila asked.

"Oh no," Roza shook her head. "My brother and the Old Man are on a boys day out kind of thing and the kids' mom is visiting her dad and won't be back for another day. So, I'm playing babysitter today."

"Is Agent Noble here?" I suddenly found myself asking.

Five heads turned to look at me curiously. Why was that the first question that came to mind? Why?

"Actually, Ben's busy today. He's visiting a friend so it's just me and Isabelle with the kids. Or, just me, Isabelle's been hitting on surfers all day." Roza rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I saw her earlier today," Nicholas grinned. "I nearly got her number too!"

We all had to roll our eyes at that one.

Even Sergei.

"Well, enjoy the rest of the day guys. You're going to need the rest now. Big things are coming for you guys." Roza's demeanor suddenly became much more serious.

"Hey, we're ready for those simulations and whatever the hell you guys choose to throw at us. We're ready to get back to kicking some major ass," Nicholas enthused.

Pavel and Danila laughed heartily while Roza smiled a bit, though the smile didn't reach her eyes.

I frowned. Something was concerning her.

"Well, we'll see if that's true tomorrow won't we?" She cocked an eyebrow, her smile turning elusive.

I need to stop thinking un-pure thoughts in public…I _really_ need to stop thinking un-pure thoughts in public…

"I guess we will," Pavel answered smoothly, "but for now we gotta run. Your dad needs us to run an errand for him? Remember Nicholas? Sergei? You guys remember."

"Yes, yes of course! Really important errand too, damn I almost forgot! Looks like we have to run…" Nicholas agreed, getting up and dusting the sand from his swimming trunks.

Of course they did.

Danila cleared his throat. "I too need to go. I have to do something at the theater."

Of course he did.

You would think Guardians and Agents would be better liars.

Roza didn't seem to buy either story but she smiled good naturedly anyway. "Oh okay then, well I should head back now-"

"Hey! Dimitri's not busy for the rest of the day, and we don't feel right just leaving him alone for the rest of the day. I mean, if it's cool with you, maybe he could hang out with you and the little munchkins?"

How much more obvious could Nicholas get?

"Mr. Big Man! You can help me build a sand castle! It'll be fun!" Luna suddenly cried, coming forward to take my much larger hands into her tiny ones. "Plwease?"

"I-"

"I mean, really. How can you say no to that Dimitri? What do you say Rose?" Pavel grinned.

"I don't see why not. But are you guys really not sticking around for the sunset? It's only an hour away…" Roza shrugged.

"Yeah, this errand is pretty important," Nicholas nodded as he, Pavel and Sergei were already slowly walking toward the boardwalk.

"So is this thing for the theater," Danila began to follow suit. "Sorry Dimitri…"

"It's okay," I managed to croak out.

"Oh, well ok then. See you tomorrow!"

"Bye Rose!"

"See you tomorrow!"

"Adios!"

The four of them left, and soon it was just me and Roza.

"Come on Mr. Big Man! The best sand is close to where we put our things!"

And with that, I found myself being led a few yards down the beach, where I was reintroduced to the younger twins, Luke and Liana. Watching them while Roza was gone was Agent Lightwood, who promptly left as soon as Roza came back, citing a "cute surfer" had asked her to get a drink with him. With her departure, this left me with Roza and the kids.

The younger two apparently had no interest in building a sand castle, instead preferring to just dig with their toy shovels.

And so it was Roza, Luna and I building a sand castle together. Most of the time the space was filled by the young child as she chatted happily, bringing up random topics or stories for me and Roza to listen to. Every so often, mine and Roza's eyes would meet and we'd smile at the small child between us.

After nearly thirty minutes, our masterpiece sand castle was complete. It took quite a bit of sand and several pails, but we had managed to create some sort of sand castle actually resembling a castle.

"Yay! It's the bestest sand castle ever!" Luna clapped her hands. "Thank you for helping Mr. Big Man, Aunt Rosie!"

"You're welcome sweetheart. We had fun, didn't we?" Roza looked up from Luna to me, smiling.

"Yes, yes we did," I responded, smiling down at the young girl who positively beamed up at me.

"How about some ice cream?" Rose smiled down at the child.

"Yay! Ice cream!" Little Luna cheered, her siblings overhearing and joyfully echoing her sentiments.

"Alright," Roza chuckled, "come on then."

The children ran ahead of us a few feet, Luke and Liana holding their older sister's hand.

It was a nice picture, and reminded me that perhaps I should place a call home soon.

That thought left my mind at once though, when I felt a warm hand on my bare bicep.

"You're a bit warm. Did you put on enough sunscreen earlier? Did you put on any?" She eyed bare chest critically.

"Yes, yes I did, but thank you for your concern Roza." I had to smile a bit at her concern over me.

"Still, you should put on a little more after ice cream."

_Will you help me put it on?_

"I will," I trying to shake off the thought that had entered my mind.

"Good," Roza nodded firmly. During this, it seemed that she finally realized she was still holding on to my bicep and finally, though reluctantly, I noted, removed her hand from my bicep.

_Is she - was she feeling my muscles?_

"We should get to the kids."

And with that, Roza turned and headed toward the direction of the ice cream shack, which currently had a rather long line. As she walked in front of me, her entire back basically on display for me in that bikini top, I got an even better look at the damage done to her back.

The scars covered at least half of her back, still as extreme as the first time I saw them. The ragged lines resembling claw marks still ran from her neck to her right hip. Looking closer, I saw that some of the scars appeared deeper than others. In fact, in one area in particular, the depth of the scars seemed deeper; right beneath her right shoulder blade. It seemed that whatever caused the scars (teeth? claws?) had sunk in particularly deep there...

"What are you doing?" Roza's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I hadn't noticed that in my observations, I had unconsciously begun to trace the gagged path that the scars left on her back. My hand hovered right above the deepest spot on her back.

"I-your back…" I trailed off awkwardly, not sure what to say. I knew if I brought up the scars, she wouldn't be comfortable. We had only just gotten over one hurdle in this mess that was us, and I didn't want to jeopardize anything now, plus, we had just had a pleasant day together and I didn't want to ruin this feeling of peace that the day had brought me. So I dropped my hand and the subject, for now.

"What about my back?" Roza asked calmly…too calmly.

"Nothing…it's nothing."

I watched as the tension left Roza, and I knew that I had made the right choice.

"Mr. Big Man, what's your favowite ice ceam flawor? I like strawberry, Luke likes choco, and Luna likes cookie and ceam!" The youngest, Liana suddenly asked me.

"I-I'm not sure. I guess I don't have a favorite ice cream flavor," I admitted somewhat sheepishly. Why was I ashamed to admit this?

Three small gasps answered my question.

"Mr. Big Man! That's so sad! Everyone should have a favorite ice cream flavor!" All three kids looked up at me, genuine sadness in their wide eyes.

Roza looked like she was trying hard not to laugh.

"You know what this means right? You three get to help Mr. Big Man discover his favorite flavor!" She cooed enthusiastically.

Three excited gasps was the reaction that that particular comment got, and soon the children were debating what ice cream flavor to get me.

"Choco!"

"No! I say vanilla."

"That boring, banana?"

"How about coconut?"

"Oh, I know! Mango"

The children continued to debate as the line moved more and Roza came to stand right next to me, giggling.

"You're trying to fatten me up, Roza?" I joked, listening to all the flavors the children were throwing out.

Roza eyed my still bare chest. "I don't think any amount of ice cream will do any damage."

Then, as if truly realizing what she had just said, Roza turned away a bit, her cheeks tinged slightly pink.

I tried not to look too pleased.

Before we knew it, we were at the small counter, placing our orders.

The children each got their favorites while Roza got cookie dough, which was apparently still her favorite. The children had gotten me pistachio, stating that "the ice cream with the big man is perfect for Mr. Big Man."

We returned to our spot on the beach just as the sun was about to set. The crowd had thinned out a bit, but there were still a fair amount of people left, settling down to watch the sunset. The kids sat in front of us, debating who had gotten the largest scoop of ice cream. I turned to glance at Roza to find that troubled look back on her face. I frowned, not liking seeing that look on her face.

"Roza?" I started.

"Yes?"

"You know that if something is on your mind, you can tell me right?"

She turned to face me, her face clear of that troubled look that was there seconds before.

"Yes, I know Dimitri."

"Just making sure." I didn't want to prod any more than I had already.

We were silent for another minute or two, no awkwardness, just silence, until Roza spoke up again.

"Dimitri?"

"Yes?" I turned to find Roza facing me.

"I-I can't tell you everything right now, we'll give you all more details tomorrow but…" Roza trailed off again, looking like she was debating about something in her head.

_Please tell me. Please trust me._

"As you know, we've sent some of our people over to Court to replace you all. We've also taken the liberty of placing extra protection around Court. In addition to the usual wards, we've gotten protective marks and witches' wards up. The marks and witches' wards are some of the strongest out there, much tougher to penetrate, so Court is safe." The intensity in Roza's eyes and tone made me believe her. I had already seen what the Agents and Guardians here were capable of. I've seen their training, their fighting strategies and techniques, their technology, their magic. I knew that if some of their people had been sent to replace us, Court was in good hands. However…

"Why do I feel some bad news coming on?" I murmured as Roza bit her lip.

"We've also been tracking the movements of several Strigoi back out there, and we've been noticing that many of them are on the move. They seem to be headed toward Pennsylvania."

"How many are we talking about? Are they working together? How much time do we have? How are they-"

"Hey, calm down. Don't get full on Guardian with me now. We'll fill you in more tomorrow. I just wanted to give you a heads up; it's full steam ahead now. Training will pick up dramatically; we'll be expecting more out of you guys and incorporating more weapons and technology training. Your job is to train, that's it. We'll monitor the situation and keep you all updated, okay? Please, I don't want you to be worrying about this right now. This is your last day before your ass will be kicked and we all go into preparation mode, so please; spend the rest of today not worrying. I'm telling you this because – because, I didn't want to keep you completely in the dark, it just didn't feel right to me." Roza finished her piece and I swallowed heavily.

It went against ever Guardian instinct I had, every teaching that had been nailed into me at a young age, but I would listen to Roza. Tomorrow, I would go in and train and allow myself to worry. Today, I was going to watch the sunset with Roza, the kids, and have some ice cream.

"Thank you for telling me, Roza."

She smiled a bit. "You're welcome Comrade."

I couldn't help the grin that came to my face as I heard that old nickname that I had so desperately missed during my time away from Roza. I couldn't help the rush of hope that came through me either.

"Today was a nice day," Luna suddenly sighed, right as the sun disappeared into the horizon.

"I couldn't agree more." I replied, my eyes never leaving Roza's.

"Me too." She smiled back.

* * *

**Monday**

The door swung open, and a rather pale Nicholas stepped through the door, Roza right behind him, patting his back reassuringly.

It had been like this all morning. We had been separated into groups of twenty or so and then designated into rooms where we were told to wait for our turn. The Agents running the simulations, I of course was with Roza and Noble, would call out two people at a time. The lucky two would be led through a second door, which we assumed led to the simulations, only to come out approximately thirty minute later, some rather tense, some looking sick. They would immediately leave the room while Roza and Noble chose two more.

"Castile," Roza called.

Eddie immediately sprang up, a concerned look on his face as he followed his friend through the door, which then slammed shut.

Pavel sighed from next to me. There were only about half of us left now, and judging by the reactions of others, something more than the first simulation was happening behind that door. I knew that it had something to do with what Roza told me yesterday, I just didn't know exactly what was going on and that was driving me crazy-

The door swung open once again, this time Noble returning with Guardian Miller. Miller looked troubled as he hurriedly left the room, not making eye contact with anyone.

Noble sighed and shook his head before calling out the next name.

"Belikov."

* * *

**Well, like Rose said, we are now going full steam ahead. The next few chapters will really focus on training, but don't worry, we'll still be having fun moments with Rose and Dimitri and all their wacky friends and family.**

**Let's try and shoot for another update before next Saturday? I know you all are wondering, "CoffeeShopMuse, why do you set these update goals for yourself that you never meet?"**

**Well, my dear readers, I like to challenge myself.**

**Even if I do fail 99% of the time.**

**Ahem, anyway, please leave me a review telling me your thoughts on this chapter and what more you would like to see in the future! **

**Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an essay to get back to.**

**Until next time, have a great day/night wherever you may be!**


	31. The First Simulation

**This chapter is dedicated to the lovely _ladierock, _who know how to write one hell of a gut-wrenching story! From one writer to another; don't let the opinions of others change your ideas and the path that you have laid out. At the end of the day, you are in control. It is your story to tell and no one else's. **

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Chapter 31**

**Dimitri Belikov**

I rose, barely registering the encouraging nod that Pavel gave me before heading toward the agent. He allowed me to pass through the doorway first, before shutting the door behind us with a thud.

The place I was in now was merely a small hallway with two door a few yards apart from one another. Noble led me toward one room, the other I supposed, being occupied by Roza and Castile.

"Guardian Belikov," Noble started, "are you ready?"

"Yes," I answered simply.

Noble nodded, his face betraying no emotion. "Alright then."

He opened the door to reveal a smaller version of the simulation rooms we had been observing all along. Here, the screen was slightly smaller and instead of several seats with several computers designed for several people, there were only two seats and one computer.

"Today's the first day, so we're starting off simple. It will only be me and you, you in the simulation and me controlling it. It'll be a short run- 15 to 20 minutes depending on your performance. After you complete the simulation, you'll come back here and we'll talk. Any questions?"

"No," I shook my head in negation.

"Okay, let's get started."

And with that, Noble led me though the door where the actual simulation would take place.

During the observation period we never saw the actual room where the Agents disappeared into to fight, just the computer room. Now, as I was led into the actual room, I took in my surroundings.

The room was rather plain, actually, with the walls being a basic neutral color. There were no windows, or any openings beside the door. The room was just a room.

The only thing unique about the room (aside from it being a room where a false reality could be implemented) was the small nook where a change of clothes and variety of weapons awaited me.

"So we got you a Guardian training uniform, don't worry about the sizing, it will fit. Wear it during the simulation, it's a lot more durable than your normal uniform. Also, you have your pick of the weapons laid out. You can choose as many as you would like for the simulation. I'll give you some privacy for this part. I'll be back in about 10 minutes." Noble raised an eyebrow, silently asking if I had any questions.

"Thank you Agent Noble," I nodded, already turning to small nook.

"Of course," he nodded back, then left the room.

Quickly, I put on the training uniform provided for me Noble was right, the material of this was quite nice, the fabric stretching nicely, allowing breathing room for my body but still felt tough and high quality. It was a dark grey, the same color of the Guardian uniforms here, with black markings around the joint areas.

With my uniform on, I moved in front of the table and wall that was filled with weaponry. I, of course, picked up two stakes. It was the weapon I was the most comfortable with and given the high probability that I was going to face Strigoi within the simulation, I knew it would be my best option. Next, I went with a few blades, sliding them into the holder that came along with the uniform. I chose one sword, the _Ignis_, or fire, sword, and slid that back into the holder. Finally, I picked up three of the delicate Chakram stars.

Roza's specialty.

Right as I slid the last weapon into my holder, the door re-opened, Noble entering once again.

"Ready?"

"As I'll ever be." I replied simply.

"Good," Noble smiled slightly before stepping into the room. "The simulation is loaded and ready to go. I just need to go over a few things with you before we actually start. First off, this - " Noble produced a small red patch of some sort and slapped it on my neck.

I stared back at the man, partly surprised, brushing the patch with my fingertips.

"-is a tracking patch. It will allow me to track your position while you are in the simulation. After the simulation, I'll take it off and you'll be free. I truly have no interest with what you do in your free time, okay?" Noble smirked a bit. "Secondly, remember that if anything were to happen to you in the simulation, once you get out, you will be fine and any injuries of unfortunate mishaps will be left in the simulation. Third off, this is your first simulation and, I'm going to be honest with you, it's probably not going to go well. None of the first one's go well, but it's the first one, you're still getting used to things, so don't be too hard on yourself if things don't go the way you want them to. You'll get better at these as we go along. You don't truly have a goal to achieve for this one, this first one is just to get you comfortable. However, you will know you've approached the end of the simulation when you find a small cabin. If you get that far in the time allotted, you know you're in great shape. Fourth, when I start the simulation, I recommend shutting your eyes. Things will get crazy in this room and leaving your eyes open might lead to some vertigo and we want you in the best shape while you're in there. And last off...Guardian Belikov?"

"Yes?"

"Good luck." This time Noble managed an actual smile, gave me what was supposed to be an encouraging clap in the back, and then left the room.

I was left in pitch darkness now, as the lights in the room had been shut off. It stayed like this for another minute until a faint whirling sound, a like small fan, caught my attention. A few seconds later, the whirling grew louder and louder, and then another minute later, I understood why Noble recommended that I shut my eyes.

The room exploded in a cacophony of colors, all whirling and spreading throughout the space. I snapped my eyes shut as some bright spots danced behind my lids. The sound began to gradually decrease as the seconds ticked by, the whirl becoming a dull hum before Noble's voice drifted in.

"Okay Belikov, I'm going to count you down now. Ten...nine...eight-"

As the man counted down, the low hum was replaced by another sound - a howl of the wind, perhaps? And suddenly, I chill came over my body. The training clothes were doing a rather good job of protecting me from the chill, but I still felt it. The simulation was definitely ready.

"-two…one."

* * *

My eyes snapped open, whiteness immediately meeting my eyes.

Noble had apparently prepared a snow-ridden landscape for me. The white stuff literally covered everything, the ground, the trees; a frozen river sat nearby.

A forest in the bitter winter.

How nice.

I didn't have much time to take in my surroundings before the testing began, and an axe came soaring dangerously near my head. Turning toward the direction it came from, I managed to glimpse the back of a humanoid figure as it sprinted back into the dense patch of trees it came from. I went after the being, trying to glimpse what it was through the thick snow and pine bristles. Honesty, from my time in the _History of Species_ class, this thing could have been a variety of things.

Of course there was the obvious choice; Strigoi. However, they did not usually use weaponry; they preferred to get up close and personal.

There were the banshees, but they were rare these days and besides, they would have begun the screeching by now.

There was also the possibility of a warlock or a witch, but they preferred their magic to actual weaponry.

A harpy? No, they would have taken flight by now.

A rogue? That seemed most likely at this point…

The being twisted around to face me at this point, its human features already contorting into that of a more…sinister nature. It's pupils shifted into slits, its nose become rather beaklike and its skin became a bleak grey, rather like the color of a bowl of mushy oatmeal. Its stature became stooped and its back hunched.

A hellion.

A demon that enjoyed mischief and destruction; generally rather annoying, but one of the easiest to destroy.

I fingered one of the chakrams in my vest, ducking as the creature sent a rather large tree branch my way. Pulling the weapon out, I spun it around on my index finger a couple of times before the weapon gained more momentum and speed. Keeping the weapon spinning, I brought my arm back, then sliced forward, allowing the weapon to launch from my finger and hit the intended target.

The demon screeched as the chakram hit its shoulder, creating damage but not destroying. I grabbed another one repeating the motion. This time it hit the creature on the neck as it twisted back to gauge my distance. Apparently I had hit something major because a black, sticky liquid began spurting from the wound as the hellion gasped and choked for a good minute before bursting into bits and disappearing. I stared at the spot the demon had been bleeding out just seconds before, before shaking my head and running again. I wasn't quite sure which direction to head toward, I just kept running. After a few minutes I cleared the forest and was met with the frozen river once again. This was good as it allowed me to see much more of my surroundings than the dense forest, but handicapped me in the sense that I was now in the open, vulnerable to whatever Noble was going to throw at me next.

Suddenly, I heard the unmistakable clacking of hooves. Tensing, I slowly reached for the sword I had chosen while simultaneously backing toward the river. It looked solid enough…

From the dense forest burst forth a centaur.

He eyed me for a second.

I eyed him as well. Centaurs are rather complicated creatures, with some looking down on anyone not of their kind and others more open to interaction. This one seemed to be leaning toward the latter…

"Go across the river. Cross it now and you will avoid the dog demon that lies behind."

A hellhound.

I nodded back at the creature. "Thank you."

He nodded back at me before skirting off in another direction.

Quickly, but cautiously, I crossed the frozen over river. Right as I crossed the river, I heard the unmistakable howl of the hellhound. I swiftly made my way to the cover of the forest once again, moving deeper and deeper into the woods. Once I was deep into the woods, I was relieved to not be able to hear the howling of the hellhound anymore.

Until I had another problem to worry about.

The blasted imps.

The moment I arrived into a small clearing in the forest, they swarmed me. Dozens of the pint-sized, humanoid looking things came all at once. The imps were generally harmless, but large groups of them are prone to cause trouble. They greatly resembled demented, wing-less pixies with their bulging eyes, blue skin and horned ears. Now they are pretty manageable with their small and weak stature, however their greatest weapons is -

"EEEEEEEEEEH!"

"OOOOOOOOOOH!"

Their piercing screeches. In a group, the piercing sound rivaled that of a banshee's, and was unrivaled when it came to the annoyance factor.

Wincing as the cries grew louder, I reached for the sword. The Ignis sword was a unique sword. When not activated, it honestly didn't even look like a sword, just a blunt, flat object. When activated however…

"_Flamma!"_

The moment I finished uttering the word a flame burst out from the end of the sword, startling the imps, who were of course, afraid of fire.

I swung the sword at the crowd of them while simultaneously kicking off the few that had managed to find their up my legs. The swarm was dissipating now, the fire frightening them away. Out of the corner of my eye I could see some of them breaking for the bushes, away from the fire. I hurriedly slashed again and again, until the crowd was gone, their shrieks moving farther and farther away from me. Sighing, and wincing as I felt the claw marks they had managed to leave on my arms, knees and even one on the back of my neck, I put out the sword and started up again, heading in the only direction the imps had not run to. After at least a quarter of a mile, I could see a clearing up ahead. The closer I got, the clearer the view and after a minute, a cabin came into view.

"_You will know you've approached the end of the simulation when you find a small cabin."_

Slowing down, I took in deep breathes as quietly as I could. From experience and from watching several simulations, I knew that this could not be that easy. There had to be a twist an added surprise…

"_Bingo."_ I thought silently as a Strigoi quickly came into view. He was strolling around the small cabin, glancing around every few seconds. The lookout. Ducking down and controlling my breathing better, I thought about my plan of attack. Of course it would be easy to get behind the Strigoi as it had its back turned while making one of its rounds, but the environment would be a harsh factor here. The crunch of the snow under my boots would be a giveaway to my presence, as well as the rustling of the vegetation I would cause as I attempted to get closer. However…perhaps this could work out in my favor…

Quickly, I headed toward the opposite direction I actually meant to head toward, making sure to make enough noise to catch the being's attention.

And of course it worked, with the Strigoi headed in that direction as I quietly buy quickly made my way to another area of the clearning.

"Who's – ARRRGH!" The Strigoi cried as I got behind him and slashed his back. As he yelped in pain, he flipped around, easily allowing me to slide my stake right through his ribs, effectively killing him.

The trouble wasn't over yet, as seconds later, a second Strigoi burst out of the cabin, instantly spotting me and the other dead Strigoi.

With a mighty snarl, it crossed the distance between us in a flash, grasping my throat and then throwing me into the cabin. I crashed right through the window, the right side of my body immediately coming in contact with broken glass, some of it slicing through the uniform and cutting into my skin. Ignoring the slight pain, I rose, right in time to face the Strigoi who had re-entered the cabin.

With another snarl, it came toward my direction and within a fraction of a second had me against the wall. Its hand enclosed my neck, adding more and more pressure by the second. Laughing, the Strigoi's ugly grin grew and grew. Quickly, I groped around my holster for one of the blades. Finding one, I pulled it from the holster and slashed the Strigoi's arm with it. Obviously, the blade didn't do much in terms of harm, but it did provide a long enough distraction for the Strigoi to release my neck and for me to get the sword out once again.

"_Flamma!"_ I cried, pointing the sword right at the heart of the Strigoi.

And a second later, a great fire engulfed the thrashing being. It dropped to the ground in a fruitless attempt to put out the fire, struggling. I knew I had to act fast now. The Strigoi was not getting out of the fire, but within minutes the entire cabin would be up in flames, and I knew that despite defeating the Strigoi and finding the cabin, there was something else I needed to do.

I dashed out of the room, entering the kitchen and finding nothing amiss. I began to head down the small hallway when I heard it; a scream coming from the last room at the end of the hall.

And not just any scream. Roza's scream.

Rushing down the hallway, I kicked open the door, bursting into the dim room…to be met with my worst fear.

"Roza!" I looked down at the crumpled figure in front of me.

She was bloody all over, her clothing torn, her hair matted with even more blood. Her hands were bound behind her back and she let out a terrified shriek the moment she saw me.

I looked behind me. I could see more smoke coming from the front room, but nothing else threatening.

"Roza? Roza, there's nothing. I'm going to get up out of here okay? Let me help-"

"NO!" came her terrified reply as she struggled to curl herself up into a ball. "STAY AWAY FROM ME!"

And with that came the terrible realization: Roza wasn't afraid of the Strigoi…she was terrified of _me._ The thought slammed into my stomach, making me feel sick. However, I had to try.

"Roza, please, just listen to me-"

"Why should I listen to you? You hurt me! You did this to me! Do you see all this? Do you see? All you!" She cried, tossing her hair back violently so I could see what she was talking about.

I immediately wished I hadn't though.

Roza's neck was where it was bleeding the most, from a wound dangerously close to her jugular. But that wasn't the most horrifying part, oh no, that was reserved for the dozens of bite marks that littered her neck and chest area, blood oozing from most of them.

Thoughts of Russia, all those years ago, with Roza and me, albeit a different me, slammed into my mind, crushing me with their weight. The guilt and self-loathing started to fill my chest, but I pushed it down.

_This isn't real. This is a simulation. The real Roza isn't here, she's safe and sound in the real world. Just get this Roza out of here, NOW!_

And with those thoughts in my head, I made a move toward Roza with my hands up, wincing internally as she whimpered and attempted to scoot away from me.

"Roza, please. I won't harm you. I just want to get you out of here. Please, I love you-"

"NO!" She cried again, throwing her head back in agony. It killed me to see her like this…but not as much as her next words did.

"I DON'T WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH! YOU'RE A MONSTER! YOU'RE NOTHING TO ME! I _HATE YOU_, DIMITRI BELIKOV, _HATE YOU!_"

Those words…they ripped my heart out, they devastated me. I felt myself sink to the floor, shaking my head vehemently trying to tell myself that this wasn't real…this wasn't real…this wasn't real…

"ROZA! Please! Believe me!" I cried, moving forward once again, trying to gather Roza into my arms.

However, the moment I touched her, what felt like an electric spark ran through me, sending me flying backwards, dissolving my world into darkness.

* * *

**Oh dear, what do you think happened there are the end? Was that supposed to happen, or not? Hmm…**

**Leave me your thoughts in a review, please! I love hearing your guys' theories, they are always fun! **

**Next up, the aftermath of whatever just happened, and we'll get back to Rose's view of things! I know you've missed her! ;)**

**Now, before we go, I'd like to say a few things to the person who left me this lovely review this morning.**

_**:Can you hurry the f*** up and update? Its honestly embarrassing how late and how inconsistenly you update and whilst I understand how busy people can get, say that you'll take a while, don't make silly goals that you don't even try to meet.**_

**Usually I leave reviews like this alone. Why should I use time and energy to respond negativity? However, this reviewer is a special case. I'd like to concede something first, though. Guest, you're right, I do take a while to update and I probably should stop setting an update goal that I will probably not make. However, I'd like to know how you think that I'm "not even trying to meet the update goal." **

**Dearest Guest, I'm going to let you in on a few little writers' secrets.**

**First off, its reviews like yours that get to us writers the most. We of course welcome the positive reviews. We accept the constructive criticisms because even though they're criticizing us, they are still giving some good pointers. However, the reviews that say nothing but "UPDATE!" "WHY AREN'T YOU UPDATING? IS THIS EVEN WORTH MY TIME ANYMORE?" "HURRY THE FUCK UP AND UPDATE!" are not helpful in anyway shape or form. They're just annoying. Do you honestly think that getting review after review that only says "Update!" Or that dreaded solid block of "Update!" over and over again is really helpful? No. You didn't tell me what you liked about the chapter, what you didn't like, or areas I needed to improve on, so how do you think this motivates me to write? Simple, it doesn't.**

**Second off, you don't know me. You don't know us writers. You don't know the lives we lead when we're offline. Some of us are busy parents, hard-working professionals, stressed out students, etc. Now I've noticed that here, in the VA world, most of us are students; full time students at that. We'll go to our classes during the week and leave those classes with hours' worth of work and study material to go over, if we want to pass that class. And let's face it, WE ALL WANT AND NEED TO PASS THAT CLASS. And then there's work, like actual paid work. I mean, I should probably start working on those student loans now before I graduate and am up to my ears in debt, right? Oh, and then there's friends and family, you know, those people who love and support you no matter what? Probably shouldn't ignore those people as well! Especially since my grandmother came down with pneumonia and we've spent the past two weeks trying to take care of her and help around her house on top of going to classes and work and attempting to piece this chapter together with the little free time I have. **

**Well what I'm trying to get to here is; I'm done apologizing for my inconsistent updating schedule. I've read amazing stories on here that have taken months, even an entire year to update, but the authors do update eventually. I'm not apologizing to anyone anymore because I'm tired of some people not realizing that I'm an actual human with feelings and a life, not some random writing machine on the other end of the screen. We are all human and life can get really hectic and shitty at times and all we can do is try to get through the bad stuff. So next time you leave a review with any story, don't you dare think you know what that writer is going through or that they're just lazing around their house, eating cookies with their feet kicked up. We are people, and we are trying our best, so don't you dare try to degrade us.**

**For the rest of you, I'm sorry I let one review get to me when I have the rest of you amazing people out there. But the positive here is that Guest has made me acknowledge that there are more people out here who may feel the exact way this guest feels, but have chosen not to say anything. I know the updates are inconsistent, but I'm done apologizing. At the end of the day, I started this story for **_**me. I**_** wrote it because **_**I**_** had an idea one day and**_** I**_** wanted to see where this little idea in my head would go. Along the way, as I posted more chapters and got more feedback, I started writing more for you guys because I just felt so great that people were actually reading this little story and enjoying it! So for that, I thank you all for reading this and I have had a blast writing this story, even if I've had to prioritize real life before this. I just needed to be honest and get some things off my chest. For those of you offended by this, I'm sorry, but it is how I feel. Whether you think I'm a over-dramatic, over-sensitive cold bitch now or not, I will still be writing this story, with the inconsistent update schedule and all. Maybe I'll lose some of you over this, maybe I'll gain some new readers. Honestly, it doesn't matter to me now. I'm writing and will finish **_**Yesterday is History**_**, for myself. I truly hope you will stay because A LOT of good stuff will be coming, but if not, then so be it.**

**I thank all of you for your time and patience.**

**Until next time...**


	32. Wise Words from a Noble Man

**Few notes before we begin…**

**Alex: Your reviews are always appreciated!**

**BlueBox35: PM is acting weird for me, but my favorite Doctor? Well, Matt Smith was my first Doctor (yes, I know I'm late), so he's my favorite! I've watched Capaldi and think he's great, but it's only been one season. Watch Tennant and while I do think he's a great actor, I don't know, Matt just feels right to me. ;)**

**Now…onwards!**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Chapter 32**

**Dimitri Belikov**

I bolted up, gasping for breath.

My eyes frantically searched for Roza, the fire, the cabin, but it was all gone.

Instead, I found myself back in the pitch black simulation room, alone. Well, not for long anyway as seconds later, the door to the room opened, allowing light to stream in. Another few seconds later, Ben Noble appeared, looking stricken.

He switched on the lights and I quickly pushed myself up quickly and rose to my feet right as the man reached me.

"Well," Noble started quietly, "as you can see, the simulation is over. Why don't you change and come back out? We'll have a talk."

The only thing I could do was nod mutely at the man before he turned and left the room, giving me some privacy.

I managed to pull myself together enough to get my original uniform back on. I started pulling the weapons I had chosen out of the holder. The stakes, free of any blood and debris. The blades, still shining silver and pristine. The chakrams, perfectly rounded, each tip as sharp as when I had picked them out earlier. And the Ignis sword, back to looking more like an unassuming baton than a powerful fire spewing sword.

Placing the last weapon back in its place, I swallowed thickly and scrubbed my face roughly with my hands. When I pulled my hands away, there was no blood or dirt. I felt no pain where the glass shards cut into my skin. In fact, when I checked my side, there were no cuts on me what so ever.

How could it have been so real? How could it have felt so real, and now I was left in a room with nothing but my memories?

Shaking my head, I headed toward the door and exited the room, the brightness of the control room greeting me.

And Ben Noble as well.

"Please, have a seat," the man gestured toward the empty seat next to him. The control panel was up and ready, and up on the screen was my picture from my Guardian ID card.

Taking a seat, I accepted the water the man offered me gratefully. There was a beat of silence before Noble got down to it.

"Well, it's start, shall we? I'll go over your simulation with you and then at the end you can ask me any question you want. How does that sound?"

It wasn't like I had another choice. "Alright."

"Great. So first things first," Noble reached over and ripped off the tracking patch still on my neck. "Okay, moving on," he gestured up at the screen. "Here is all the information that we've collected on you since you have been here. Before we started today, we made a list of weaknesses and strengths for each and every single Court guardian. Now you won't be able to see those lists until later on, but it something to keep in mind. Now, each simulation controller has a copy of that list and then subsequently custom designed the simulation for that Guardian. So everything was custom created by me to serve the strengths and bring out the weaknesses of you. Except the end." Noble's eyes pierced mine.

"The end?" I asked a ghost of a whisper.

"Yes, that was the one area where we were instructed what to do and what to put there. But we'll get there later on." Noble added as he saw that I was prepared to ask a question. "Let's start at the beginning. "

The man hit a button and my simulation began to replay, right in front of me.

"You took action, right off the bat, and that's excellent. Time is a huge factor in these things, so good job with that." Noble smiled slightly, nodding approvingly.

"Thank you," I answered simply, nodding back.

"Another thing you did really well is utilizing those weapons we provided for you. We know that Guardians usually are more combat focused, but we wanted to see you guys get comfortable with using weaponry, new weaponry at that, and use them, even in the simulations. And you did just that, so good job there..." Noble trailed off here, returning to look at the screen.

"Also," he added as we watched the Hellion demon dissipate into the air, "Rose would be proud with that chakram work, very proud indeed."

I would be lying if I said that that comment didn't make my day.

"And once you were out of the woods, I gave you the centaur. One of the lessons you are expected to learn early on is to know who your enemies are and who your allies are. Centaurs are rather tricky because they are rather private and they have had spotty relationships with others in the past. If you had attacked the centaur, you wouldn't have known about the hellhound and you would have had to deal with that. You thought, you used your head while you were in there, and that's something not many people remember to do. So you've shown me you actually listened in that species class you took. Very good work so far, very good."

I took a sip from the water bottle. "Thank you."

"Mhmm," Noble responded absent-mindedly as he fast forward through the part where I was running through the forest. "Okay, so here," he paused right at the part where I was attacked by imps.

"These imps," the man chuckled, "what did you think about them?"

"I've never encountered something so small, yet so annoyingly deadly at the same time," I admitted.

Noble let out a hearty laugh. "I've never heard it put like that before. Annoying, yes. Small, yes. But 'annoyingly deadly,' that's a new one."

Despite my mixed feelings toward the man, I found myself smiling along with his commentary. "They were a challenge," I admitted.

"They often are," Noble agreed, "especially in large groups, which I just so happened to give you. But you did a good job with them. For a second, I thought that you were going to be bombarded, but then I saw you pull out that sword. And very nice work with that sword. Honestly, I was surprised that you chose the Ignis sword. It's not the most conventional sword, but it is an interesting and powerful weapon and you used it well today."

I nodded.

Noble cleared his throat, looking back to the screen and speeding the footage up once again. "So you fought those off very nicely. Now, I purposefully gave you some demons to work with for this first one. In real life situations, I imagine that you would be facing less of those, but it's still good to get in the practice. However, I was instructed to give you Strigoi to face, so I figured I might as well put them at the end, let you finish with something familiar." Noble nodded, as I did the same back. "So you're doing very well with time here, 12:36 at this point and I told you that if you got to the cabin you'd be in good shape, so you were beyond good shape at this point and you've encountered the first Strigoi, so that's good. Honesty," Noble's lips twitched, "you dominated them, as I expected. So thanks for the great show, I mean, that was incredible work."

"Thank you," I replied, slightly surprised by his praise. "That's very generous of you."

"Your reputation precedes you, even here, Guardian Belikov. We know of your amazing work, and we just like for you to remember that as well," Noble looked meaningfully at me.

Was the man implying what I thought he was implying? Could he know of the guilt, the pain that still plagued me occasionally? Was he trying to give me that message that Roza and many others have ben trying to give me all along? This man, whose relationship with Roza I still was not completely clear about, and whom I barely spoke to before today?

Clearing my throat, and shaking my head, I turned back onto the screen, where I had just broken into the cabin to face the other Strigoi.

"Two notes here. First off, starting tomorrow you will be in there with your partner, so these will go smoother with two people in there, hopefully. Well, considering you will be with Danila, it will go well, with your combined talents."

"That's an awful amount of faith you've put into us," I had to chuckle.

"Yes," Noble chuckled as well, "I believe you two have earned it with your performances. Anyway, one to point two…"

I turned to face the man curiously.

"I just want you to know, I didn't purposefully choose a cabin for this last part. I mean, I wasn't trying to evoke any past memories of anything…" Noble attempted to choke back a laugh, "I just thought it made sense for this particular setting. Honestly, I didn't realize that cabins might be significant for you until later on."

Oh God. He wasn't really implying…

Images of the first time Roza and I were in a cabin together flashed in my mind.

Shit.

The man snickered, catching the look on my face. "And you thought Rose was exaggerating when she said she told me her entire life story. I mean, the woman was incredibly frank."

I wasn't quite sure what my face resembled, but by the laugh that the man let out, it was a sight to see.

However, the laughter trailed off as soon as we both realized what was coming up.

I averted my eyes as I watched myself push open the door where Roza was held.

I kept my head down as I heard Roza scream at me.

I kept my head down as I heard my own pleas.

I kept my head down as I heard a crash, signaling the shock that had sent me flying back and ended the simulation.

There was a beat of silence before Noble broke it.

"Do you know what that was? At the end?" The man began gently?

I finally looked up, raising an eyebrow. "My very worst fears personified?" I practically snorted.

"Precisely," came the answer.

My felt myself frown in a split second of confusion before it dawned on me.

"Agramon."

"Yes, very good." Noble sighed, somewhat sadly. "The demon that takes the form of your worst fear, designed to literally scare you to death. We were instructed to save that for the very last."

"To test us?" I shook my head in slight disbelief.

"Our superiors did not do this intentionally to be cruel. To help you, we need to know everything about you all. How you guys fight, what teaching methods work on you all, how you guys tick, we need to observe all this in order to build the simulations, and pat of the information we need includes-"

"Our worst fears; our weaknesses." I breathed out, barely being able to be heard.

"Precisely."

When I looked at once again I saw an indescribable look on his face. Perhaps a mixture of pity and sadness? Smugness and pity? Disbelief and pity? Honestly, I couldn't be sure.

"You know," Noble started, "when I was building the simulation I was honestly intrigued to see that your greatest fear was. I thought to myself, _what could the great Dimitri Belikov be afraid of?"_ He man breathed out a regretful sounding laugh. "And then I saw Rose up there and…"

The man trailed off, leading to a minute of silence before he broke it once again.

"Can I ask you a question?"

I gave a brief nod.

"Do you truly believe that Rose could ever hate you?" Ben Noble gave me a meaningful look, genuinely curious.

"I've done so much damage, so much that can't be erased…" I muttered darkly, almost to myself.

"I think we both know Rose well enough to know that that woman has one of the biggest hearts a person could have. Well, at least, I am aware of that. Are you?"

"Of course I am," I replied somewhat defensively. "That's one of the best qualities about Rose! That's part of what made me fall-" I stopped myself before I could go any further.

I've already shared too much with Noble today.

When I glanced at the man again, I was surprised to see a slight smirk on his face, a glint in his eyes. However, as soon as that look came, it left, replaced with a more serious expression.

"Well," he cleared his throat, "overall, you had a very nice first simulation. Your time was 18:49 and it was great to see you comfortable in there." Noble paused here, turning to the computer in front of him and pulling up a file. I couldn't see much of it; honestly, I could only make out two columns.

"Like the rest of us, you have strengths and weaknesses we need to improve on. For you the strengths do greatly outnumber the weaknesses; however, I think we both agree that the weaknesses you do have, they are rather serious, and we need to work on them."

"Of course," I agreed. The man was not wrong there.

"Now, one last thing before I let you go."

I raised an eyebrow in question.

"An update, if you will, on Court."

"Oh," I answered simply. It had been a couple weeks since the last update from Court, and quite honestly, most of us were too focused on the simulations to pay real close attention to the happenings at Court.

"Well," Noble started, clearing his throat, "as you know, we have had some of our units volunteer to take the place of you all while you are here training. And as you also know, a couple weeks ago we stopped a group of Strigoi from attacking Court, since then, we've been monitoring Strigoi activity and the area surrounding Court intensely-"

"Have there been any more attempts on Court?" I interjected, worried, thinking about all the Moroi. Honestly, I knew the Guardians and Agents sent in our place were more than competent enough to take our places, but old Guardian habits die hard, I suppose.

"No, not so far," Noble shook his head in negation. "However, we have picked up several movements throughout the past weeks."

I nodded, recalling what Roza told me yesterday on the beach.

If Noble was surprised at my lack of a reaction, he didn't show it. He turned back to the main computer, typing and dragging things around on the screen before he pulled up a map of…something.

The picture up on the screen somewhat resembled the typical world map in the respect that I could make out water and landmasses, but the land looked different. It was as if somebody had taken a map of the world and redrawn borders and added a couple more smaller landmasses, making this map even more detailed and intricate than the conventional map. Additionally, there were small gold dots, just a small smattering across a few of the countries, I guess there were still called.

"Now, this is a map of the Other Realm, where we are right now. This is a map of all the reported Strigoi sightings we've had in the past month, the larger the dot, the larger the amount of Strigoi working together."

I blinked up at the man, impressed at the small quantity of dots. "Wow, very nice work." I conceded.

Noble nodded. "Our Guardians do fine work here. And, not to knock the work that you guys put in, we here all know how hard you all work, but do you know why our world's Strigoi population looks like this?"

"Raids?" I smiled ruefully.

Noble chuckled. "Yes, they meticulously plan every detail, predict all possible outcomes, survey the terrain and personalize fighting techniques and weaponry for each and every mission. We like to take an offensive approach when it comes to fighting demons here in the Other Realm, and I guess that makes the difference between us," Noble gestured up at the screen once more and then pulled up another map, "and you guys."

"дерьмо́," I uttered as I gazed up at the mess on the screen.

This map was the typical world map everyone knows, and it was covered in gold dots, in fact, approximately a fourth of it was covered in those dots. And the ones on this map were larger too, and some of them were even moving, slowly and steadily, but still moving. However, this was not the most alarming thing, the fact that we had allowed the Strigoi problem to get this bad, no; it was the fact that more and more gold dots were getting closer and closer to Court.

"Yeah," Noble, looked up grimly at the map, "so, as you can probably tell, this is your world, and it's pretty damn bad. Now, not to worry you, but this was the map from a few weeks ago actually."

He swiped at the screen again, pulling up another map.

In a way, this second map was better.

And worse.

It was better in the sense that the dots decreased slightly.

It was worse in the sense that more and more large dots were moving toward the direction of Court.

"This is the most recently updated map, pulled just this morning. Now, the decrease in dots is because of two things. First off, around the world, our Guardians and Agents have been helping out your world these past few weeks. However, the bad side of why the dots have decreased it that they are getting bigger. More and more Strigoi are apparently more willing to work with one another and they are moving toward Court."

"This is why you increased training these past few weeks, why we're going into the simulations," I finally tore myself away from the sight before me.

Noble nodded solemnly. "Yes. I'm not going to sugarcoat this for you, neither of us operate like that anyway, but this problem is bad. Mind-blowingly bad. The Strigoi are coming, Dimitri, and we need you all to be prepared for it. It's time for a change, no matter what the Moroi say, to save the lives of not only them, but of Guardians as well, you all need to rethink your whole system. Now, what we are doing right now is introducing you all to the tools that you will need to do that. It is completely up to you what you choose to do with the knowledge that we have given you over the past few months after you leave here. However, please do keep in mind the maps, eh? And also, we need you to be 100% right now in to your training. Simulations will be run five days a week now to better prepare you lot for the day the Strigoi make their move. We have people there, and so far, it looks like they are still gathering, so we're trying to cut off as many Strigoi before they can make it anywhere near Pennsylvania while protecting the Court as well. We have several layers of protection surrounding the area, not to mention the technology to help us too. What we need from you from this point on is dedication and determination. We cannot help you all if you are not willing to help yourself. You must immerse yourself into the training, do not think about Court. Updates will be provided, and if anything major come up, we will immediately tell you all okay?"

"Yes," I sighed, my eyes once again finding the map and the dots. I didn't like it, but I knew Noble was right. Court was in trouble, but the best option now was to prepare for the day that all hell out break loose in the Moroi world.

"How could we allow this to happen?" I murmured in disbelief, shaking my head, ashamed.

Noble clapped me on the back reassuringly. "It's been an eventful morning. We've given you the rest of the day to train and prepare in any way you deem fit, whether that be more training in the gym or a short rest. Whatever feels right to you, okay?"

I shook my head in agreement and rose. "Thank you Agent Noble."

He rose as well, "It was a pleasure, Guardian Belikov."

We both nodded and I headed to the door, my mind pulsing, attempting to comprehend all the information that had just been thrown at me.

Court.

Strigoi.

That simulation.

I stopped short, and turned around.

"Agent Noble."

He turned from the computer, eyebrow raised.

"My simulation…Will anyone else be seeing that?"

Understanding flashed in his eyes, and he sighed. "Yes. Later on the Elite High Council will be reviewing these simulations. Honestly, those fifteen people have seen everything; I think you have nothing to worry about. Honest."

I regarded the man for a moment, noting the sincerity in his eyes.

"Thank you, Agent Noble."

He smiled, then seemed to hesitate for the slightest second before speaking again. "Belikov…"

"Yes?"

"About the end of the simulation…remember that the past is in the past. Yesterday is history, it's done. We can't change it, no matter how hard we try, but we can move past it and live, you know? Because at the end of the day, that's what it all boils down to-living."

I swallowed thickly. "Thank you Agent Noble."

The man's demeanor softened and he chuckled chuckled. "You're free to call me Ben, you know? And please, have a pleasant rest of your day, Guardian Belikov."

With final nods on both our parts, I left the room, walked down the short hallway and out the second door. A few of my peers looked up as I entered, but I simply left.

I seriously need to punch something.

* * *

**Rose Mazur**

"Oh Eddie," Ben muttered sadly as we watched the end of Eddie's simulation, watching that blasted Agramon demon transform into several people.

Me.

Adrian.

Christian.

Sydney.

All of us lay dead, our necks snapped, our eyes empty.

Eddie's greatest fear.

His closest friends, all dead.

I sighed, this being the third time I watched this, and it was not getting any easier. Ben and I were in a simulation room, like many other Agents were doing because what else would we be doing on a Monday night but to review simulation tapes?

"Do you think we were too cruel today?" I asked before taking another sip of wine.

My partner sighed. "I've been asking myself this all day, going back and forth, back and forth. At the end of the day though, Love, forcing them to see their greatest fear, played out right there in front of them, will be good for them. You know this."

"Yeah," I flashed back to my first encounter with the infamous demon. I obviously wasn't pleasant, but in the end, it toughened me up, prepared me to witness some of the most gruesome demons and their actions out there. Yeah, it was terrible the first time, but in the long run…it truly helped. "They'll thank us someday."

"I'm sure they will," Ben chuckled, taking a sip of his wine as well.

We quickly typed in a few more notes in Eddie's file, then saved and closed it.

"Okay," I blew a few stray pieces of hair out of my face, "next one…" I hit play and quickly noticed Ben tensing a bit out of the corner of my eye.

"What's wrong?" I asked, concerned as he shifted awkwardly in his seat.

"It's just that…well, you'll see soon," he trailed off awkwardly, scratching the back of his head.

"Wha-oh," I glanced up at the screen and saw the Guardian running through a snow cover forest.

Dimitri.

"Yep," Ben took another long swig of wine.

I watched, impressed and touched, as he kicked some Hellion ass with those chakrams. And when he used that Ignis sword as if he'd been using it all his life…

"The guy looks like a pro," Ben voiced my thoughts, "think I got any competition?" He smirked.

"You're the best swordsman of this generation," I rolled my eyes. "I think you're fine."

"Oh Love, you are ever so reassuring," he sighed with a smile.

"It's what I do!" I responded, though my eyes never left the screen.

I faintly heard Ben snort, but I quickly shushed him as the simulation played on. The minutes ticked on as we watched Dimitri finish of those annoying imps and take on two Strigoi by himself.

'_After five years, he is still a God,'_ I noted, transfixed as I watched him drive the stake into the heart of one Strigoi.

"You're drooling," Ben drawled from beside me.

"Shut up! Am not," I responded oh-so-maturely.

"Hmmm." I didn't need to turn to know my partner had a stupidly smug smile on his face.

I watched eagerly as he easily took down the second Strigoi, but that quickly turned into apprehension as I watched the fire spread and a scream come from a nearby bedroom.

That scream…there was something familiar about it…

From beside me, Ben shifted yet again in his seat and coughed.

"Ben? What was-" I stopped short, mid-sentence, horrified at what was happening up on the screen.

Me, bloodied and bruised.

Dimitri, pleading for me to just trust him to get us both out of the cabin safely.

My harsh words…

"_I DON'T WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH! YOU'RE A MONSTER! YOU'RE NOTHING TO ME! I HATE YOU, DIMITRI BELIKOV, HATE YOU!" _

And with those words, I broke Dimitri Belikov.

It's an odd feeling, breaking somebody. You can only watch helplessly as you create those words or actions that can destroy somebody within seconds. And then after the initial feeling of shock and surprise, comes shame and horror, both of which were growing inside me rather quickly at the moment as I masochistically continued watching the simulation. _I broke Dimitri Belikov, the man I loved so so much once upon a time. _ I continued to watch helplessly as Dimitri attempted to hold me, only to be flung back by the demon and knocked unconscious, ending the simulation.

There was an intense silence in the room, heavy, before Ben broke it.

"So…that just happened."

I felt the urge to throw up.

"Ben-" I started weakly before trailing off into silence once again.

"Yes, Love?"

"Does Dimitri really think that I hate him?"

"Oh darling," Ben murmured, wrapping an arm around me comfortingly.

"Does he?" I repeated softly.

"You would think that time heals all wounds, but in some special cases," Ben smiled sadly at me, "it doesn't."

"It's been five years! Five years! Has he really been walking around thinking I hate him all these years?"

"I don't think so," Ben said after a minute of silence, "but I do think that deep in his unconscious, where our darkest thoughts lie, he kept this fear stashed away. To actually think about it was too painful for him to even conceive, but there must have been those moments, those dreams perhaps, where we don't have control over conscious and unconscious, where this came up. Our mind can be incredibly cruel Love, capable of coming up with all kinds of different scenarios, good and bad. His mind came up with this; his greatest fear. You hating him, the woman he loves hating him to the core."

Another silence overtook the room as I silently mulled my partner's wise words over and over.

Ben, for his part, merely studied me closely, and decided that he had more to say.

"Rose," he lifted my chin so he could look me directly in the eyes, "what's going to happen when all this is over, eh? Will you two really go on, for the rest of your lives, pretending you aren't aware that the other is out there, alive and well? When all this is over, can you truly bear to let him out of your life once again? Don't kid yourself, Love. Please. You deserve all the happiness in the world, you truly do, we all deserve to be happy, it's a fundamental right. And I think that we all know, you especially, that life is unpredictable, anything could happen. So, Rose Mazur, when all this is over, are you really going to let the purest thing in your life, Dimitri Belikov, leave your life once again?"

"_I don't deserve your apology. I don't deserve any of the kindness you have shown me these past weeks. I don't deserve the happiness you bring me." _

"_When you left, you know I searched for you? I took time off work, an entire year, in fact. I went all over the States, Europe, even Turkey, just hoping, praying that one day I would look up and see you there in front of me." _

"_I failed us. You were-no are-you are the one woman in this world who has ever made me feel true romantic love, and I pushed you away. I'm so sorry Roza, I-I, that is my biggest regret to this day, the pain I caused you, caused us."_

"_I love you, Roza. More than you know, more that anyone could know, even more that I know. I love you so, so much."_

All this beautiful words from out day in the cabin came back to me at the moment, coupled with those deep words from my partner.

Ben was right. I couldn't bear the thought of Dimitri leaving once again, walking away from me with things this unsettled. And life is pretty damn crazy, we never know what's one the other side, waiting for us, and for Dimitri and I right now, we had a gathering of Strigoi just waiting for the right moment to unleash hell. What if something, God forbid, happened to one of us? I don't think I'd respond well to that, no, not at all. But the thought that haunted me the most?

The fact that any of this could happen, Strigoi attacks, departures, an a whole lot of other crazy shit, and Dimitri would never know how I truly feel about him.

"I've been so stubborn," I whispered.

"What else is new?" Ben smirked, dodging the half-hearted punch I threw his way. Honestly, my mind was somewhere else at the moment…

"Love, just go to him," Ben smiled sincerely, "we can finish this up tomorrow in the morning. Go do what you need to do."

"Thank you!" I gave Ben a quick hug before leaving the room.

I headed down the stairs, and toward the gym. I knew, that after a day like today, most of the Guardians would need to de-stress, and the gym was the perfect place to do that.

The only problem?

We have so many damn gyms in this place.

I was just about to literally go into every damn gym in the place when I ran into a solid mass.

And by solid mass, I mean Sergei.

I don't think I had ever been so glad to see this man in my life.

"Sergei! Hey, do you know where Dimitri is?" I prompted hopefully.

The man nodded.

"Yes? Great! Where is he?"

"The gym."

"Which gym?" I prompted again.

"The one in the east wing."

"There are two gyms in the east wing."

"Yes, there are." The man replied calmly.

Damnit, Sergei.

"Well? Which gym in the east wing is he at?" I prompted, again, exasperated.

"The smaller, personal ones."

"Thank you, Sergei!" I chirped before I continued down the stairs, down the hall, around several corners and up yet another flight of stair until…

I slammed the door of the little, personal gym where I could see Dimitri going ham on a punching bag through a little window, open.

His intense concentration combined with my rather loud arrival, made him turn, slightly startled.

Under any other circumstances, I would have been thrilled to get that reaction from Dimitri Belikov, but tonight? Tonight I just needed him to know.

"Roza?" He wiped the sweat pouring from his forehead with a wrapped arm. "What's-"

I cut him off as I threw myself into his arms, enveloping him into a great hug.

He was extremely sweaty and wearing only a sleeveless shirt and some gym shorts, but I didn't care, not at all.

"Oh, you silly, silly man," I sighed into his thick shoulder, but I knew he could hear me as he slowly wrapped his arms around me. I sighed once again at how nice it felt. "I could never hate you."

_I love you, Comrade._

* * *

**Ooh, we finally got Rose to admit it! But will she say it aloud? Did she say it aloud and not realize it? Do you guys even think she should even say it yet? Leave me your thoughts in a review!**

**Speaking of reviews…**

**HOLY CRAP YOU GUYS! We made it to over 1,000 reviews, and it is all because of you guys! You all don't even know how much this thrills me, and so as a reward and as a HUGE THANK YOU to you all, I will give each person who reviews a little sneaky look at the next chapter! Just tell me what you thought of this chapter and what you'd like to see in the future, and I'll work my magic!**

**I also want to thank you all for the response to that last chapter. I want to thank you all for being so understanding and just allowing me to vent. To Guest, if it is really you (Hey, it's the internet!) I thank you and wish you all the best, especially with your mom, with everything going on in your life. As I said, we all have lives and it's not all good all the time.**

**Next up: Dimitri's reaction, some more training, and we'll get to know Rose's friends better!**

**Well guys, I'm going to wrap it up now and as always, I wish you a great day/night wherever you are.**

**Until next time!**


	33. Latenight Conversations and Walks

**Hey guys! **

_***dodges rotten tomato***_

**Okay, I know I'm over 2 months late, but I can expl-**

_***dodges various rotten fruits and vegetables***_

**Oww, that got in my eye! Okay, I'll just explain at the bottom!**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Chapter 32**

**Rose Mazur**

"You what?"

Oh damn, I said that out loud.

_Life is unpredictable, anything could happen…_

_When all this is over, can you truly bear to let him out of your life once again?_

Oh what the hell, Ben's right.

"I love you, you idiot." I rolled my eyes into Dimitri's still sweaty shirt.

At this, he placed two hands on my shoulders and gently put some distance between us. His eyes searched my face, searching for some unknown emotion.

Maybe doubt?

Maybe pity?

Maybe teasing?

Well he wouldn't find any of that here.

"You-you love me?" He finally whispered.

"Yes," I nodded gently, taking his hand in mine.

He looked down at our joined hands, then back up at me.

"You love me?" He asked again, louder.

"I - yes?" I attempted to raise an eyebrow.

"You love-"

"Oh for the love of God!" I cried, finally having enough of this.

I grabbed his gym bag and threw it at him, then pointed at the showers.

"Clean yourself up, you're all sweaty. I'll be waiting for you right here."

"And what exactly are we doing?" Dimitri asked, still seemingly in shock.

"We will be having dinner. I'm hungry and I'm sure you're hungry, so hurry up so we can go." I crossed my arms, shaking my head as Dimitri numbly walked into the shower.

"I'm in love with an idiot," I murmured, shaking my head.

_But he's your idiot…if all goes well…_

Stupid inner voice that sounds suspiciously like Ben.

* * *

"Why don't you take a picture, Comrade? It will last longer," I scowled at the man across from me.

Forty five minutes after I told Dimitri to head to the showers, we found ourselves sitting at a cute little casual Italian bistro, our orders steaming in front of us. The short walk over here had been largely silent, though that may have been due to the fact that I had taken Dimitri's hand to lead him over to the restaurant, shocking him apparently. Though, the smile that had overtaken his face when I grabbed his hand was charmingly cute.

He cleared his throat. "Sorry, it's just that I – I wasn't expecting this. Can I ask you a question? "

"Sure," I nodded as I took a sip of my water

"What brought this on? Why tell me this now?"

I took a longer drag from my glass. "Well, I was talking with Ben-"

"What?" Dimitri's eyes showed alarm.

"Yeah," I hesitated for a split second, "we were reviewing the tapes from today-"

I saw the color drain from Dimitri's face. "You saw my tape?"

"Yeah," I admitted.

"Ben said-"

"I'm Ben's partner," I blinked at him.

Dimitri uttered a soft swear in Russian, looking at the space above my head before taking a long drag of water and looking back down at the table. I let him sulk for another minute before I made my move.

He jumped a bit when my hand made contact with his. Leaning forward a bit, I used my index finger to tilt his chin up so he would be looking at me.

"How could you possibly think I hate you, Comrade?"

"How could you not?" Well, this simple question seemed to open the flood gates because now Dimitri could not stop. "After everything, after that horrible day in the church when I told the worst lie of my life. And then on top of that, I find out later that you were gone, not even from someone close to you, but from Hans Croft for God's sake! I didn't want to believe it you know? I _couldn't _believe it if I wanted to stay sane. You know I went to your room?"

I raised an eyebrow at this…or attempted to.

"As soon as I heard the news I went to your room. I didn't –" Dimitri stopped as the waiter appeared with a refill of water.

"Thanks," Dimitri and I mumbled before the waiter left us to our dinner with a flourish.

"I didn't want to believe it Roza," he started again with a faraway look in his eye, "but the second I saw your door ajar I knew…I knew what Croft said was true, even though I didn't want it to be. God, going into your room and seeing it completely empty, no clothes, no mess, no you," my breath caught a bit as he looked up and I saw the emotion in his eyes, "it nearly broke me. Plus that encounter with Ivashkov right afterward didn't help matters…" Dimitri mumbled angrily.

"Whoa, wait," I grabbed his hand again to get his attention, "what encounter?"

* * *

_Dimitri didn't want to believe it, but as the barren room that once belonged to his lost love stared back at him, he knew he had to._

_Rose was gone._

_Those three words echoed in Dimitri's head as he stepped into the unlocked room, as he opened the closet to find it empty, as he noticed the unmade bed. _

_And then he turned and punched the wall._

"_Глупый, Глупый, глупый," he mumbled repeatedly before dropping down Rose's bed, utterly depressed and defeated. _

_He liked the bed. He could still smell her sweet scent the strongest on the sheets…on the pillow…_

_Clenching his eyes shut, he gripped the sheets in his hands and fell unceremoniously back onto the bed, pausing when he felt an odd bulge from under the rumpled sheets. Frowning, Dimitri's hand dove under the sheets and pulled out red fabric. Straightening the fabric out, he let out a strangled cry as he saw that it was one of Rose's shirts. It was nothing special really, just a basic red t-shirt, but to Dimitri, this was everything._

_This was all he had left of his lost love._

_He sat for a few more minutes before heading toward the door, the shirt having been folded and shoved into a duster pocket. However, when he saw who was on the other side of the door, he groaned internally. He really didn't want to deal with this right now._

"_Lord Ivashkov," he greeted formally._

"_Dumbass," the other man smirked as he leaned casually against the wall. _

_Dimitri scowled before attempting to walked past the man, only to be stopped by a punch._

"_Shit," Ivashkov swore, cradling his fist against his chest. _

_Honestly, the punch was more shocking to Dimitri than anything. Adrian's punch was rather sloppy and his Moroi strength did very little damage to Dimitri's cheek. In fact, Adrian looked more hurt than from throwing the punch._

"_What was that?" Dimitri asked, perhaps against his better judgment._

"_That was for Rose," Ivashkov threw back, noting how Dimitri flinched at the mention of his lost love's name._

'_Serves him right," Adrian snorted silently._

"_Do you know where she is?" Dimitri suddenly asked, or rather demanded, backing Adrian into the wall he was leaning on moments before._

_The Moroi rolled his eyes. "What makes you think I would tell you that?"_

_Dimitri looked ready to argue, so Adrian decided to hit him where he knew it would hurt._

"_You're the very reason she left. Why would I jeopardize her one chance at happiness by telling you?" _

_The Russian actually staggered back, pain evident in his eyes. Adrian almost felt sorry for the man. _

_Well, he did until Dimitri spoke again._

"_Is that why she left? Because of what I did?"_

_Adrian looked at the man in front of him incredulously. "Do you really have that little faith in her love? Of course your rejection was part of her leaving! And you know what? With that and Lissa acting the way she is, I'm glad she did. She risked it all for you Belikov, her career, her reputation, her life, to get you back. The love she felt for you, God, she didn't even feel an ounce of that for me. You should be lucky you experienced that." Adrian's gaze pierced Dimitri's._

"_She-she knows why we can't be!," Dimitri defended, " I'm not good for her anymore. I can't-" _

"_Bullshit. And you know it. You still love her, you're just being an idiot with this whole noble act." Adrian sighed, "I don't even know why I'm trying with you."_

"_Ivashkov, please! Tell me where she is! I need to know-"_

"_Two issues with that Cradle Robber," Adrian lit a cigarette. "One, I really have no idea where she is. She just told me she got a new assignment and wanted me to see her off at the airport. And secondly, I don't want to tell you."_

_Dimitri looked ready to punch the man. _

_Adrian smirked and continued. "It's not because I hate you Belikov, or intentionally want to see you suffer or anything twisted like that. It's for Rose. She's gone through a lot. I think this will be good for her, a fresh start. She deserves happiness Belikov, I think we can both agree on that. This is her chance to go and find happiness, do you really want to screw that up?"_

_The Russian was silent, but Adrian knew he had made his case._

"_You know what I find the saddest part about all this? It's not that you didn't know what you had until it was gone. You knew what you had, you just never thought she would leave."_

_And with that, the Moroi left the Russian in the empty hallway still clutching that red shirt belonging to his one true love._

* * *

There was a beat of silence after Dimitri told his story. Our plate had been cleared and the restaurant was starting to empty out for the night.

But we still stayed in our seats.

Adrian had never told me this, which was probably wise because I would've beat him up for this little stunt. But on the other hand, I found myself feeling slightly…grateful toward him? I mean yes, what he did was harsh, but he did it for me, his friend. And Adrian was right, I did need to get away from Court, do my own thing, figure out how to be happy again. And I had to do it all by myself. No Lissa. No Dimitri. No Court. And I did it. I built a new life for myself; making a new best friend and a group of amazing friends as well as excelling at work.

My life had been amazing these past three years.

I had created my own happiness.

Wait a sec. Another thought hit me.

Here I was. I'm loving life with a kickass job, an amazing support group and, let's face it, an incredibly charming and hot partner. After five long years, this is what Dimitri found. This had to sting for him, especially the presence of Ben. Plus, there was the whole issue of Adrian's whole 'happiness' speech. Mix this together and Dimitri's greatest fear suddenly made sense to me.

"You're insecure," I had to smile at my revelation.

This was just too cute.

Dimitri's head finally snapped up. "What?"

"You're being insecure. It's kinda cute," I admitted with a smile.

Dimitri was not as amused if the scowl on his face was any indication.

"Come on." I said simply, standing up and offering him my hand. "We're going out."

We strolled about the city in silence after my little revelation, Dimitri still looking rather put out, until we reached the Grand Park, basically our version of Central Park.

"Come on," I grabbed Dimitri's hand, dragging him into the park. It was still packed, even though it was nearing ten o'clock at night, vendors still selling drinks and food, kids still playing, and couples strolling about all hand-hold-y.

"Where are we going?" Dimitri finally asked.

"Somewhere more private where we can talk," I answered simply.

* * *

After a few more minutes we reached the smaller walking paths that spread throughout the park. I chose the one that would take us back to the other side of the city, near Elite HQ and my apartment. The path was nearly empty, though we could hear the voices and laughter of other people in the park nearby. I took a quick look at Dimitri, still committing himself to that silent act. I sighed internally. I guess I would have to start this.

"You know I don't hate you right?"

"Yes," he responded quietly, "you love me."

I could hear the smile in his voice at that.

"Of course I do, you idiot," I huffed, "we've already been over this."

"I just – it's just processing right now," Dimitri admitted.

I sighed. "Dimitri, despite what you and many others may think, I never hated you. I was angry, heart-broken, bitter, but I never hated you. I could never hate you," I uttered the last part softly.

"Really?"

I looked up to see an incredulous look on Dimitri's face.

Geez, how low did his self-esteem sink after I left? Judging by his behavior tonight, I'm guessing pretty damn low. My heart cracked a little at that.

"Dimitri, I spent three years trying to move on and make a new life for myself. During those three years I did a lot to try to forget Court and our last moments together. I tried to forget you, but I never hated you."

There was a beat of silence.

"You tried to forget me…us?"

"I assumed through our last interaction you were trying to forget me too," I couldn't help but shoot Dimitri a skewering look, some of the old resentment I felt bubbling up/

"Roza, you know I didn't mean that-"

"Just because you didn't mean that doesn't mean it didn't hurt, Dimitri," I said wearily, picking up my pace a little.

"I know that Roza," Dimitri sounded weary now considering the fact that our conversation was going nowhere.

"I hurt you so badly…and yet you don't hate me," Dimitri whispered. "That's incredible."

"That's not incredible…that's love," I replied, equally as quiet.

By this time we had stopped walking and were looking at one another in the middle of an urban garden with the city light masquerading as stars in the background.

"Roza…" Dimitri whispered, his eyes becoming molten as he looked at me. He began to lean forward, and I found myself panicking. This was way too soon! I only just admitted I still love him a few hours ago! But, damn him, I found myself drawn in. That pull we felt toward one another had not faded through the years we were apart. In fact, I felt myself starting to lean forward as well. Into those sensuous lips…into those smoldering eyes…into that warm embrace.

And then, thankfully, my phone beeped, causing me to jump back and put some distance between us.

Clearing my throat, I averted my eyes and pulled out my phone.

28 unread messages.

18 missed calls.

16 voicemail messages.

"Are you okay?" Dimitri's concerned voice broke my focus on the phone.

"Yeah," I tried not to focus on the disappointment in his eyes and smiled, "my friends are just nosy."

Which is a totally accurate statement.

"Tell me about them."

"What?" My eyes widened.

"Tell me about your friends, your life, your work. I want to know what I've missed, I want to know it all," he said with sincerity in his eyes.

I had to smile at what he was trying to do. He wanted us to reacquaint ourselves with one another, to catch up on old times. We once knew each other so well, and here we are, five years later, our relationship being reduced down to a shaky, slightly awkward friendship. Things were never awkward with us before, and I had to admit that I didn't like where we were now. I'd spent three years trying to get over this man, to forget him, to no avail. So for the remaining two years I've been trying to sell myself a lie, that I haven't missed him; his warmth, his love, his presence. I'd missed it all. I've missed _us._

And so I told him.

"Well, it all started about five years back, when I suddenly found myself in a strange new place with nothing but the one bag of belongings I had brought and a Sparky…" I smirked and he smiled lightly.

And so I continued on. I told him about the first friend I made, Ben, and our disastrous first meeting. I told him about Josh and how epic his hugs were and how much he reminded me of Eddie and how much I so badly wanted to be adopted by his family just so I could know his mother's amazing secret recipe for peach cobbler. I told him about Isabelle, my very first roommate here, and all her crazy antics and ideas, but I also told him about how big of a heart she had and how defensive she'll get when her family is threatened. I told him about Jay, my favorite werewolf and how he trained me to take over his position has Chief Captain. I told him about Dianna and Leigha, how fierce and protective and they were and how their presence filled my need for some girlfriends in my life. Yes, they could be crazy at times, but that's how I like my friends. I closed off the friend section with the Three Musketeers, my boys. They kept me on my toes with their shameless flirting and constant supply of jokes and idiot plans, but they were still my boys, and I wouldn't have it anyway.

And then I told him about my work, how I had to basically go back to school to become an Agent. I told him about the amazing classes I took with those kickass professors whose classrooms I guarded today. I told him about my graduation, where Josh and I were required to make a speech due to the both of us being at the top of the class. I then went on to talk about my years in Elites I, II, and III before I finally made it to Elite IV, all the arduous work it took to get there. And then I couldn't help but gush about the Elite and how refreshing it was to be working in such a proactive environment, where my bosses were pretty kickass and I couldn't wish for better co-workers.

He kept quiet through most of it, only asking a few questions, mainly sticking to polite smiles and restrained laughter. I could see in his eyes that he was happy for me, for my success, but I could also see the sadness there due to the fact that he wasn't there for all of it. But he didn't let that show too much, and I didn't want make him uncomfortable, so I let it slide.

For now.

By the time I was done talking, we had walked the entire path and now found ourselves exiting the other side of the park where we were immediately greeted with bustling city life once again.

"It sounds like you've been doing very well for yourself over the years, Roza," Dimitri commented as we strolled the streets. "I'm very proud of you."

"Thank you, Comrade," I could see how his eyes lit up at my use of his old nickname.

He smiled back at me before his eyes focused on something behind my head. Turning, I saw that it was the _Dare_ dance studio that caught his attention. Through the window I could see my co-worked, Sasha, teaching a class on what looked like the waltz.

"How did you get started there?" Dimitri nodded toward the studio.

_I could feel claws digging into my back, sinking deep into my flesh. I tried to scream, but it was muffled as my face was pressed deeper into the earth, my tongue tasting dirt. _

"_Rose!? Rose! Come on! We've got to – SHIT!"_

"_Ben?" I tried to get up. I needed to get my partner and we needed to get out of here. I couldn't though. My body refusing to move and , my eyes refusing to see anything but the red of blood streak on the ground beneath us…and then…darkness._

"_Agent Mazur? Agent Mazur! Thank goodness you're awake…_

_Gave us quite a scare there…_

_Permanent scaring…lucky…six months of rest…"_

"I think that's another story for another day," I smiled tiredly up at Dimitri, now my fatigue actually coming from the fact that we had been out for hours now.

Dimitri's no fool though, he could see the change in my demeanor, and not wanting to push it, he dropped the subject and brought up another one.

"Sounds like you've had the perfect life for the past five years," he chuckled a bit ruefully.

I had to laugh at that, "Oh quite far from it, actually. You know, our lifestyle isn't always rainbows and chakrams…" I joked.

"Of course not," Dimitri chuckled along with me.

We lapsed into yet another silence as we approached Elite and Guardian HQ, both of us slowing down.

"You're not going to let me walk you home?" Dimitri joked quietly.

"You walked me home last time," I smiled up at him, recalling the night where he walked me home from the dance studio, "it's only fair I return the favor."

We grinned at each other for a bit before Dimitri turned to look at the Guardian residencies with a sigh. "I should go, more training tomorrow…"

"Hmmm," I twirled a piece of my hair in between my fingers. "Well I guess I should let you go in…"

"Yeah…"

It took another minute for Dimitri to actually head towards the building. It was only when he took a couple of steps that I made my move.

He turned.

"Dimitri!" I closed the short distance between us easily.

"Yes, Roza?" He raised an eyebrow.

Damn him.

"That thing you said about me having a perfect life…well, that's not true for another reason. I've been missing something all these years..." I started, grinning.

"Oh?" Dimitri's brow furrowed as he look puzzled. "What else was missing?"

"A boyfriend." I grinned up innocently at his stunned, but please face. Imagine a six foot seven stoic Russian suddenly looking like five year old on Christmas day. Yeah, that face just made my night.

"Goodnight, Dimitri!" I pressed a kiss on his check before walking briskly away, toward my apartment a couple blocks away. When I had gotten down the first block, I looked back, and saw Dimitri still glued to the spot, grinning like a loon.

I have to admit my heart soared when I saw his face.

I pulled out my phone to check the time.

Holy shit.

1:22

That wasn't even the worst of it.

_47 unread messages_

_32 missed calls_

_18 voicemail messages_

I was so going to get it in the morning.

* * *

They were lying in wait for me.

As soon as I opened the door to my team's loft I knew what was coming.

"Well hello there!" Jay rose his glass of orange juice in greeting.

"Nice to see you're alive, Rose! We were all so worried!" Isabelle smiled slyly.

"I mean, when we saw Ben clocking out all by his lonesome, and he said he hadn't seen for a while now, we were so worried!" Leigha added in, the same smile on her face.

"And when you didn't respond to any of our calls or texts until we got that group text at nearly two in the morning, it just added to the worry!" Artur interjected here.

"But then, and this is just a personal reaction here, when I finally got the text, at 1:43am" Josh smirked, "another thought popped into my head. Just what the hell where you doing up and about at 1:43am in the morning?"

"And who were you with?" Lev chimed in as now everyone turned and smirked at me.

I hate them all...so, so much.

"I mean you weren't with Ben, he clocked out at 10:30 and was home by 11," Denis smirked. "We know this because I texted Ben at 11:15 looking for you and he actually replied to my text."

I turned to glare at my beloved partner, who merely smiled into his cup of tea.

I hate him too.

"So, our dear team captian, Rose Mazur," Dianna started.

"Where were you?" Christian smirked, with a shitty Russian accent.

"And who were you with?" Isabelle finished with her own crappy Russian accent and suggestive eyebrow wiggle.

And with that, the rest of the team, plus Christian, dissolved into peals of laughter.

I glared my signature glare.

"You're all getting Unsatisfactory on your next performance reports, yes Ben! Even you!" I grumbled before sitting down and helping myself to some bacon.

Of course my threat basically meant nothing to my team as they dissolved into another fit of laughter and lewd jokes.

They're idiots.

But they're my idiots…and I wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

**See?! I gave Romitri a whole dinner and walk together! Dimitri even got a kiss on the cheek! Still hate me? Heh heh?**

**I'm so so sorry about the huge delay guys! I was about a third of the way through writing this chapter before finals came in and kicked my ass. Now, after many late nights, a disturbing amount of caffeine consumed, two meltdowns and many "WHAT THE HELL AM I EVEN DOING WITH MY LIFE," I am glad to say that I am done! And I passed with all As, maintaining my status as an A-sian! Haha, jokes!**

**It's late, I'm sorry. (Also, ignore those grammar/spelling mistakes...again, it's late!)**

**Anyway, tell me what you thought of this chapter and tell me what you want to see in future chapters!**

**And since I am now on summer break, we can definitely expect more updates in a timely fashion! Now, my goal is to finish this story by the end of August, so let's see if I can make that goal! I'm going to need a lot of motivation guys, haha. **

**Until next time!**


	34. Mend

**This chapter is dedicated to SpiritQuartz, who wants to roll around naked in this story. **

**That is the nicest thing anyone has ever said about my work. Thank you! ;)**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead. **

* * *

**Dimitri Belikov**

"I take it you had a good night?" Danila quirked an eyebrow as I stepped into the small gym we were training in.

"I'm sorry?"

"We saw you two when you she walked you back here."

"We?" I cocked an eyebrow.

"Me and Pavel. We were getting a drink at the nearby bar." Danila explained with a smirk. "You're lucky Nicholas wasn't there. He would never let you live down the crazy smile you had."

I felt yet another grin grace my face when I recalled the events of last night.

_"That thing you said about me having the perfect life…well that's not true for another reason," Rose said with a playful smile, 'I've been missing something all these years..."_

_I frowned studying the mischievous look on Rose's face. What could she be talking about? She had a flourishing career, loyal friends, respect from her peers…quite a comfortable life if you ask me._

"_A boyfriend."_

_I think time stopped for me right at that second. It was as if the stars had realigned themselves and were rearranging themselves in my favor. With those two words, Roza had just made all the pain and suffering of the past five years, almost worth it. She never had a boyfriend? I didn't know whether to laugh or to stare at disbelief. It was no secret Roza was a stunning woman, any man would be lucky to have her, to hold her, and to have her love in return. I still couldn't believe it. She must have had offers from plenty of men. What could have stopped her? Was it Noble? Was she waiting for him? Or - or perhaps she was waiting for someone else...Hope bubbled into my being. _

_Could it be that Roza was waiting for me?_

_She grinned no doubt at the stunned look on my face, and standing on her tiptoes, leaned toward me. _

"_Goodnight Dimitri!" _

_And then she kissed me. _

_On the cheek, but still._

_I cursed my body for not being able to respond, as it was going through the struggle of processing quite a few emotions right now. By the time I realized that she had gone Roza was already down the street, laughing at me. But I didn't care. _

_Because she waited for me._

_She still loves me._

_This was definitely the best night I've had in a while._

"Yes. Yes, I had a good night." I grinned, like a fool I'm sure.

"Good," Danila smiled back at me. "I'm happy for you guys."

"Thank you," I nodded back at the man, touched by his sincerity.

"Did you two hash everything out?" Danila asked as he set us up for some target practice.

"Not particularly," I frowned as I recalled how Rose's demeanor changed when I asked about how she came to be a part time dance instructor. "I think – I think she still doesn't trust me completely yet. I've asked her about her back and how she came to start dancing- " I noted how Danila froze while he was gathering his knives- "but I can't blame her for not being particularly forthcoming. I'm guessing what happened to her was intensely personal and I don't want to over step any boundaries. I just wish she'd trust me more…talk to me more…" I trailed off as I found Danila turning to face me completely, knives abandoned.

"I think it's obvious that you still care for her deeply, and she you, but-" he stopped suddenly, and took another direction. "Do you know about the story with the nails in the fence?"

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion at this rather random question, but I played along.

"No," I shook my head and Danila smiled a small smile.

"There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper and hurt someone, even if he didn't mean it, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence. Over the next few weeks, nails were hammered into the fence by the boy every time he hurt someone. However, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. Finally, weeks later, the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that they now go to the fence. The two walked to the fence and the father told the boy to now pull out one nail. The hours passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, 'You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there.' "

There was a beat of silence before Danila continued.

"I know you've apologized to Rose many, many times. But this means nothing to her. Yes, she'll tell you that she's forgiven you, that there nothing to forgive even," Danila chuckled, "that's just how she is. But she's still hurting though. Deep down inside, she's still scared about the situation between you and her. Yes, you can tell her over and over that you love her, that you'll never hurt her again, but this means little." Danila's gaze was heavy. "What you need to do is start _showing _her how much you care. Whoo the lady." Danila grinned as I chuckled and looked down at the knife in my hand awkwardly.

He was basically telling he to court her…dating.

Whole new territory for Roza and I.

Hell, whole new territory for _me_. I haven't dated since my days at St. Basil's…

But Roza will be worth it. Danila's right, after all that Roza's done for me, it's time I start showing her my appreciation, how much I love her. She's worth all the teasing I'll get from the guys.

Because I love her and she loves me.

Danila chuckled as I rolled my shoulders and nodded, confirming what I was going to do.

"Mend the fence, my friend."

* * *

I dove out of the way right in time, rolling a few times before springing back on my feet.

Panting slightly, I turned and saw that my partner had not been as lucky and was quickly stomping out the hem of his pants that had caught on fire, cursing under his breath all the while.

"Are you okay?" I called.

"Fine, though maybe next time we should use less explosives." Danila chuckled, having put himself out.

We stood back and admired our work. The small cave that had been used as the Strigois' hideout was currently on fire, trapping the three Strigoi that we had been tracking in there. Smoke was quickly filling the area and Danila and I made way to leave as quickly as we could.

Until, two more Strigoi appeared in our path. And they did not look pleased with what we had done to their colleagues.

Within seconds, Danila and I were immersed into battle. I grabbed ahold of one of my blades and slashed at one of the Strigoi right in time. The blade met flesh and the being in front of me roared from the pain as his flesh bubbled and cracked, leaving a burnt scent in the air and an very angry Strigoi in my wake.

Each and every weapon belonging to the Elite and the Guardians in Caelum were treated with special concoctions designed to inflict the maximum amount of damage on its target. For example, for a Strigoi raid stakes, blades and any other weapons that were needed would be treated with a serum that would more easily tear into the flesh and burn, allowing for a more distracted Strigoi.

This Strigoi was strong though, and quickly bounced back from my attack. He lunged; I ducked and flipped myself to his other side, catching him by surprise. He came towards me again, snarling in annoyance and building anger. This time I was ready for his attack and gripped the blades hidden in my pants pockets. Right as he charged toward me once again, I pulled out my blades and struck out.

The stench of burning flesh hit the air as the Strigoi sank to the ground and in agony, allowing me to pull out my stake and end our little battle.

Yes, as much as I found the new weaponry we have been exposed to intriguing and useful, I still preferred my stake.

Call me old fashioned.

"Argh!" Danila's Strigoi snarled from where they were battling. I even had to wince at the deep gash that Danila had managed to inflict on the Strigoi. I looked like his arm had been sliced through halfway already, the flesh gaping open grotesquely. I was just about to step in and assist my partner when…

"_Flamma!_"

And in a flash of orange light, the Strigoi was finished.

A long beep coming from the background signaled the end of our time in the simulation as well.

Suddenly, Danila and I were back to the dark room, blinking as we attempted to adjust our eyes to the sudden change in light. The door opened and the friendly face of Agent Markov appeared.

"Okay guys, nice work in there. You can clean up a bit and come out now. We'll debrief outside."

Nodding our understanding, Agent Markov left us alone again. Danila and I quickly de-weaponized ourselves, putting everything back in their proper place, and then headed toward the door, where were greeted with two bottles of water along with Agent Markov and Agent Lightwood, who got right down to business.

"Well boys, very nice work in there…for your second simulation Dimitri, you've seemed to have gotten the hang of it." Like yesterday with Noble, the two had pulled up the simulation and ran through it with Danila and I, commenting on where we could improve and where we did well.

"Overall, for a first partner simulation, we guys did very well. There are some areas that need work, for example, we'd like to see just a bit more team coordination with fighting. It seems that you guys had issues adjusting to each other's different fighting styles during the battle with the Moloch demon, and that cost you guys some time and minor injuries. So just work on getting used to fighting with not just any other person, get used to fighting with your partner." Agent Markov ended.

"Looks like we'll have to go back to the Noble-Mazur trust exercises, eh partner?" Danila joked as we chuckled.

"Yes, but you're standing under the target first this time," I clapped my partner on the back good-naturedly.

"Well, we'll let you guys get to it," Agent Lightwood nodded, closing our file on the computer.

"Thank you," Danila and I echoed as we prepared to leave.

"Oh, but Guardian Belikov," her voice rang out, and it was hard to miss the borderline smug tone in it, "can you stay a while Just a few minutes longer? My partner and I have some…things we would like to discuss with you."

Both Agents smiled cheerfully.

Too cheerfully.

"Of course," I nodded, sitting back down.

"I'll meet you in the gym in a few minutes," I told my partner.

He simply patted me on the back and stood to leave, a small smirk on his face.

'_Good luck,' _seemed to be the look that he was trying to convey to me before he opened the door and left the room completely.

Turning my attention away from my partner, I found myself face to face with Lightwood and Markov.

Literally.

They both stood over me, their faces inches from mine as they looked down on me with twin looks of intensity.

"Okay, Belikov," Lightwood practically growled, "what are your intentions with Rose?"

* * *

**Haha, oh poor Dimitri, he has NO idea how protective Rose's crew is...but he will soon! **

**So, I'm estimating about 10-15 more chapters for this story! The coming chapters will mainly focus on Rose and Dimitri mending their relationship before shit goes down at Court! So we'll have alot of cuteness before the fighting happens! ****Now to start fixing their relationship, Dimitri will have to impress Rose to get her back, so I'm enlisting you all to help me!**

**Leave me a review telling me what you want to see in terms of Romitri, and I'll take that into consideration! ALSO, I'll send you a sneak peak of the next chapter! And all you have to do it tell me what cute things you want Rose and Dimitri to do! I already have a few plans such as...**

**-a dance...or two**

**-Romitri babysitting**

**-dinner with the family**

**-the last Talk (YES this is where we find out what happened to Rose's back)**

**So, send me your ideas and get a sneak preview! Better yet, your idea might be in the story! I know you all are a creative lot, so get to it! I look forward to seeing what you come up with!**

**Until next time!**


	35. Threats From Agents and Demonic Calls

**Sorry for the lateness on this one guys! Hope the content makes up for it though!**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Dimitri Belikov**

I blinked.

"Well?" The dark haired agent snapped at me, her eyes narrowing, "What are your intentions with Rose?"

Clearing my throat, I proceeded smoothly. "I want to start a relationship with Rose once more."

"And how do you plan about going with that?" Agent Lightwood hissed, her eyes narrowing.

"I would like to take it slow," I started, "allow her to take the lead in regards to us."

"And if she doesn't want to take you back? How will you handle that?" She continued to press.

"Will you back off and respect her wishes? Or will you disregard the lady's choice and force yourself back into her life?" Markov added as the pair leaned even closer to me.

I used the swivel chair I was sitting into my advantage and scooted myself a few inched back.

"I would never force Rose into anything," I replied, horrified at the very thought. "However, I would not be able to stay away from her. I would simply work harder to show her I am serious about us." I continued honestly.

Both Agents stared long and hard at me.

"You gotta appreciate that dedication," Markov muttered.

"Hmm," Agent Lightwood seemed to agree but once again narrowed her eyes and started up the interrogation again.

"You say you want to get Rose back?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I love her," I replied immediately.

Both Agents narrowed their eyes at me.

"Really?" Agent Lightwood started.

"Because that is not what you said five years ago," her partner finished.

The silence in the room with deafening as I stiffened and the two Agents continued to stare down at me, emotionless.

"Well?" Agent Lightwood finally snapped after a minute of silence. "Explain yourself!"

"What happened five years ago was a terrible mistake on my part. I was in a tough place mentally and emotionally, and I took it out on Rose, the last person who I should have taken it out on. I made the worst mistake of my life that day. I'm sure you know what I said to her, and I'm not proud of it. I regretted it immediately. As soon as I saw her face, I knew I made a mistake and I've been regretting it all these years. There hasn't been a day these past five years where I haven't regretted my actions. There hasn't been a day these past five years when I haven't thought about her. I love Rose, and I know I've had horrible ways of showing it to her, but this is my chance. I want another chance with Rose, only I won't take her for granted and treat her the way she deserves to be treated, with all my love and respect."

As I finished, both Agents regarded me with wide eyes.

"Shit," Markov muttered, "I think I just fell for him a little."

I grinned a bit as his partner elbowed him and scoffed, but I could see that my words had even managed to impress the female agent.

"Okay Belikov, all we want is for Rose to be happy, and I guess you make her happy. So go ahead with your little "wooing" plan, but remember!" Agent Lightwood roughly clapped my back, "If we notice anything amiss with Rose, we will hunt you down. And you better grovel and woo her good after all the crap you did! You understand Belikov?"

"Of course," I nodded, eying the exit.

"Good! I'm delighted you understand!" Agent Lightwood clapped happily, "Because remember…"

She paused here and focused her attention on the computer once again, pulling up a photo.

Dear God.

My eyes widened as I took in the mangled remains of…some kind of being in front of me. The creature largely resembled grounded up meat. I could see scorch marks and some lacerations throughout its chopped up body, but for the most part, the creature was just done.

"I can do that to a demon in fifteen minutes with only my whip. Imagine what I could do to you." Agent Lightwood had a mean glint in her eye as she relished in my discomfort.

"Thank you," I started, for lack of a better response, " I understand, and you have nothing to worry about. I will not hurt Rose, I promise. However for now, my partner is waiting for me…"

"Of course." Both agents let me out of the chair and I stood, glad to be done with this.

"Have a nice day," I nodded politely as I made my way to the door.

However, Agent Markov had a few parting words for me.

"And remember!" Markov called as I stepped through the threshold, "my mama knows your mama! Don't think I won't call home because I am willing to go that far for Rose! Expect an irate call from Baia if you fuck this up!"

And for the first time during that entire interrogation, I felt fear.

* * *

"Finally," Danila stood from the corner of the gym he had been sitting at. "I was beginning to think that Isabelle was chopping you up into little bits while Lev was preparing the bags they would stuff you into."

I grunted my disapproval while my partner grinned.

"I kid," Danila laughed as he clapped my back, "sort of…"

"You have jokes, nice," I rolled my eyes.

"Let's just start the training eh?" Danila chuckled again while directing me to a table to weapons. "You want to start with a little sparring or weapons?"

"Haven't sparred in a long time," I mused.

It felt good to be doing something so normal after the whirlwind of the past couple of weeks. Sparring with Danila almost made me forget about the fact that we had been here for nearly 4 months now, that I had a partner after being on my own for so long, that Roza was back and willing to try again and she still loved me after all that had happened between us.

In short, it felt good to spar, especially with a partner.

The Agents were right when they said Danila and I needed to work on our hand to hand combat. We had spent so much time with weaponry that we did not allot a lot of time to the most basic form of training.

Danila was a fierce opponent while we spared, however, the larger emphasis placed on weapons had left the Guardians here just a tad lax in their hand to hand combat. This gave me a small advantage over my partner, and I quickly took advantage of it.

"Dead," I panted several minutes later, a training stake at Danila's heart.

"Well done," he congratulated as I helped him up, "but I consider that beginner's luck. Another round partner?"

"Of course," I grinned back at the man.

We set up for yet another spar session, and were about to begin, before my phone rang.

"Go ahead," Danila waved at me, "this can wait."

I frowned as the phone indicated a private number. Only a few people had my phone number and they were in my contacts already.

"Hello?" I answered it anyway.

"You better watch your back Belikov."

"I'm sorry?" I furrowed my brow at the greeting.

"I said, you better watch your back." The voice on the other end repeated.

I looked up at Danila and the man came over at the look on my face. The voice on the other sounded demonic, obviously it was being distorted intentionally, but several questions remained.

Who was this?

Why were they doing this?

How did they manage to get my phone number?

"Who is this?" I asked sharply.

"That is irrelevant. However, what is relevant is your relationship with Miss Rosemarie Mazur."

"How do you know about her?" I demanded? "Did you do something with her?"

"Now now, Belikov, relax. We would never bring any harm to the girl. No harm has been done to Miss Mazur. We cannot promise the same for you if you yourself harm Miss Mazur."

And just like that, I knew what was going on.

"I promise, on my life, not to harm Miss Mazur, physically or emotionally – "

"Here's the deal Belikov," the voice on the other end cut me off, "we have it on good authority that you have a tendency to break promises, especially promises you've made to the special lady in question, so you better give me some damn good reasons why we should allow you to date -"

"I love her," I answered simply.

"Love," he voice scoffed. "How cute. You think love alone can repair heartbreak? Soothe a wound that has been years old? Magically bring two people back together? Are you that naïve?"

"Of course not," I said, exasperated at how long this conversation was going on.

Danila looked amused.

Well, at least I now see the extent of Roza's friends' loyalty and love…

"I know that this will take work, but I'm willing to but in that work because that's what it takes to make a relationship work. I've spent the last five years kicking myself for my mistakes, especially the horrible lies that I have fed Rose. I guess…I guess I was trying to be noble, setting her free from me and my problems. I just didn't know that in my stupid attempt to do what I thought was right, I was making the worst mistake of my life. I never realized the extent to how much I hurt her, and for that, I will spend the rest of my life repenting. I plan to, very soon, make my intentions with Rose clear to her."

It was dead silent in the room. I stared down apprehensively on the phone, though why I was so eager to prove myself to a demonic voice on the other end of the line was beyond me.

Love really does make people do stupid things.

On the other hand, Danila was looking quite impressed.

"Make your intentions clear?" The voice on the other end suddenly spoke up again, sounding almost...amused? "What the hell, Belikov? This isn't the 18th century anymore. Just say you wanna date the girl!" The voice on the other end began laughing, slightly manically.

I sighed, done with this conversation. "Look, I'm busy at the moment –"

"Yeah, yeah , yeah. Just lemme send you off with the customary 'if you hurt her, I'll hurt you' threat…let's see here…" The person cleared their throat. "Listen up here Belikov! If we see even one hair on the lady' precious head out of place, see one tear drop start to form in her eye, even see an inkling of a desolate, empty look in her eye, we are coming for you! You hear!? We will hunt you down and destroy you, nevermind the fact that you're a highly skilled Guardian, you will get what is coming to you! You will not sleep for days, weeks, even months, however long it takes to break you down. You will be at our mercy, begging for freedom, but that won't happen Belikov! As long as Rose is sad, you will pay! Don't think that people will come looking for you, 'cause I've got resources to make sure that people forget all about you! Don't think that you won't feel the agony and regret of your actions, because we will force those out of you! You will burn with shame and guilt and –"

"Is this Lord Ozera?" I finally cut in.

Danila and I were finding the rant less and less amusing.

"Wha-what? No!" The voice on the other end sputtered.

I met my partner's eye, and we shared an eye roll.

"Is this you Ivashkov?" I asked again.

There was an even longer beat of silence this time before the caller responded. "You got no proof! You- owww!"

"I told you he would figure it out!" Another person, though still with the same demonic voice, could be heard.

"He wouldn't have figured it out if you hadn't had hit me!"

"Yes he would have! The man isn't a complete idiot!"

"Are we sure about that? Look at his relationship with the girl he claims to love! He fucked that up real nice!"

"You two do know that he can probably hear everything your saying right now, right?" A third person joined in.

"…"

"…"

"…"

"Shit!"

Beep.

I shook my head as the dial tone played.

"Let's spar," I turned back to my chuckling partner.

"You've got to admire their loyalty," Danila choked out between laughs.

* * *

"So Dimitri, how you been doing? Pavel grinned as Danila and I sat down for lunch.

"Fine," I responded simply, taking a sip of water.

"Really? Because when I saw you last night, you looked more than just fine. I would use something more like 'exuberant,' 'joyous,' or 'downright giddy.' Those seem more likely." Pavel grinned and leaned across the table. "Well? Any response?"

"Yes," I started dryly, "when did we become a group of gossiping women?"

"Since our boss' daughter began talking to you again and we agreed to help you to get her to take your sorry ass back. Now…talk," Pavel leaned back, and grinned once again, Danila mimicking his movements.

I'd never thought I'd say this, but Sergei, who was quietly concentrating on his soup, is the most sane person right now.

I sighed, and was about to repeat the story of last night, when Nicholas came crashing into the table.

"You!" He pointed at me, "You need to tell me everything that happened last night! But first, you two!" He moved his accusatory finger to Pavel and Danila, "I think you guys owe me an explanation!"

"For what?" Pavel scoffed.

"For not calling me the moment you saw those two outside HQ last night!"

"Excuse me, but why do you even care?" I spoke up.

"Because I believe in the power of Romitri," Nicolas explained absent-mindedly before turning back to Pavel and Danila, who were snickering.

The man has got to be kidding me.

Romitri?

"Excuse me," I started again, "this isn't a melodrama or some teen book series written by some bored, lonely housewife! This is real! This is my life! And I would appreciate if you all would treat it as such!"

"We are treating this seriously," Pavel started.

"It's just that this is the greatest thing I have even witnessed since I've became a Guardian! The great Dimitri Belikov, reduced down to groveling and old-school dating to win back his girl! This is going to be good! The most entertainment I've had since I watched the rebel faction graffiti up that statue of Tatiana at Court! I am excited for you my dear friend!" Nicholas enthused while wrapping a hand around me. "Now, tell me what happened and the plan going forward."

I rolled my eyes yet again, and was about to tell Nicholas to mind his own business, when Agent Dianna Abrams sat down at our table.

And began to eat my sandwich.

We stared at the blond agent.

She simply stared back at us…and continued to devour my lunch.

I sighed. "Yes, I am attempting to win back Rose, and I know she is your friend and you care for her deeply."

The agent simply continued to stare…and took another bite of my sandwich.

"I know that I've hurt her in the past and you are not pleased with me."

More staring.

"You were there for Rose when I wasn't, and I thank you for that. I'm happy that Rose has as great as friends as you all."

Another bite.

"I want to prove myself to Rose, to show her that I am the man for her. I want to be by her side again, and never leave her or hurt her going forward. She means the world to me."

Here, Agent Abrams smiled a little bit, but continued on with the staring and chewing.

"And I am well aware that you can turn me into dog food meat within minutes with that axe of yours Agent Abrams, so yes, I will be on my best behavior. If I happen to make a mistake, I give you all permission to deal with me as you all see fit."

Danila, Pavel and Nicholas all seemed rather impressed, nodding amongst themselves.

Agent Abrams took another bite of my sandwich, and chewed.

And she continued to chew thoroughly.

A full minute passed.

Agent Abrams put down my now half eaten sandwich, and stood.

She smiled and patted my back. "Nice talk Guardian Belikov."

And then she walked away.

Well, I could see why she and Rose are such good friends.

"Dude, that was intense," Nicholas laughed. "Glad I wasn't you."

"Has that been happening all day? You don't seem too surprised that that just happened," Pavel commented.

I explained Agents Lightwood and Markov in the morning, and then the phone call, no doubt from Ivashkov and Ozera.

Pavel and Nicholas burst into laughter.

Sergei continued to eat his soup.

Danila looked sympathetic. "You know what I would do?"

I raised my eyebrow in question.

"I'd go talk to the most important friend Rose has. By doing that, your intentions will be made crystal clear and it'll look more impressive that you initiated the talk. Plus, maybe this friend can talk to the rest of her friends…get them to tone it down a bit?" Danila shrugged nonchalantly.

That was a very good idea, brilliant, in fact.

And so, I rose from the table.

"I'll see you all later. I have to go talk to Ben Noble."

* * *

_**Several hours later**_

**Rose Mazur**

"So…are you ever going to tell me what happened last night?" I didn't have to be looking at Ben to know he was smirking that stupid smirk.

"And why would you want to know?" I scoffed as I organized the mess of files before us.

"Because you are my darling Rose and I love you and care about your well-being."

"Oh stop being so foreign and charming!" I said, exasperated, punching my partner in the arm.

"You know you love it," Ben said with the cheeky eyebrow wiggle that melted the last of the cold exterior front I had been putting up all morning after my team's little stunt earlier at breakfast. "If you didn't love it you wouldn't have stuck with me all these years."

"Oh please, we all know I've stuck with you all these years just because I was too lazy to file those papers for a partner change." I grinned up innocently at my partner.

"That hurts Mazur," Ben frowned.

"Oh suck it up," I punched him playfully on the arm, "you know my quips are part of my charm."

"Charm," Ben snorted before turning back to the file he was reading.

We worked in comfortable silence for another few minutes before Ben spoke again.

"So…Belikov came to talk to me earlier."

I dropped the folder I was holding and turned in my seat to face my partner. Now I love my Ben, everyone knows that, and everyone knows that I trust this man more than anyone else in the world but that doesn't mean I trusted him not to do anything stupid when it came to my love life. I mean, my dating life hasn't been an issue for us these past few years, so this was whole new territory for us.

"What did you do?" I demanded.

Ben simply grinned at me.

"What did you do!?" I practically screeched, grabbing the front of his shirt.

* * *

**Oh Ben...what did you do? Haha. We'll find out next time!**

**Originally**** I was going to have Rose's crew all interrogate Dimitri at once. However, spreading out the threats is so much more fun! Hahaha!**

**So a couple notes...**

**1) I have gone through all the responses to last chapter and put together a word document of Romitri dating ideas from you guys. You all have great ideas!**

**2) Someone was confused about the first and last names from Rose's friends, so here you go!**

**Agent Benjamin "Ben" Noble  
Agent Dianna Abrams  
Agent Leigha Sarati  
Agent Lev Markov  
Agent Isabella Lightwood  
Agent Artur Dobrynin  
Agent Jay Chandler  
Agent Joshua "Josh" Ellerk  
Agent Denis Komarov**

**3) As always, please leave me a review! I love to read all of you guys' feedback! This time, tell me what your favorite line and/or moment from this chapter was, and I'll give you a quote/phrase from the next chapter!**

**4) Happy Fourth of July to those who celebrate it! Hope you all go out and have fun, eat and watch some firework! I'll be at work, so I'm going to live vicariously though you all, so you all better do something exciting! Haha**

**If you don't celebrate July 4th, I wish you a great day all the same!**

**Until next time guys!**


	36. Chats, Threats and Questionnaires

**This chapter was fun. I dedicate this chapter to that crazy, but well-meaning friend that we all have and love to pieces.**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

_**Several Hours Before**_

"Agent Noble's office is down the hall here, take a right turn, it's the door on the right side."

I thanked the agent at the reception desk and walked slowly down the hallway, feeling my resolve strengthen as I got closer and closer to the door.

I would do this for Roza.

_Team Chief Special Agent Benjamin E. Noble_ the plaque on the door gleamed in front of me.

Across the hallway was _Team Captain Special Agent Rosemarie A. Mazur._ I had to smile at the progress Roza had made in her career.

Focusing my attention back on the door in front of me, I knocked. It was silent for a beat of a second before the now familiar voice called out.

"Come in."

Twisting the door knob, I opened the mahogany colored door to Ben Noble's office.

The man appeared to be lying in wait for me. His feet were kicked up onto his desk, a file in his hand and an amused, easy-going smile graced his features.

"Guardian Belikov," Noble set his feet onto the floor, scooting forward in his chair and straightening up as he did so, "what can I do for you?"

"I'm here to talk about Rose." I replied simply, also straightening up.

The agent blinked once, then smiled. "Of course, please have a seat. Would you like anything to drink?"

"I'm fine," I replied plainly.

"Well then, the floor is yours." Noble smiled simply.

"Well," I cleared my throat to begin my case, "I don't know how much you know about the relationship Rose and I had, but I wanted to clarify a few things. Despite what you probably think of me, I was not a good for nothing rake chasing after a teenage girl just to get her in bed. I mean, I didn't even think about Rose like that at first. Well, yes, I noticed her beauty, but I was never after that. It took a few months for me to realize how I felt about her, how it was so goddamn tiring to try to fight the feelings we had toward each other, but I did, eventually figure it out." I smiled ruefully. "But then it was all violently ripped away. I'll always have regrets for this part of my life, for all that I did while I was…not myself, but what I regret most is how I treated Rose after I was saved. Looking back, my behavior makes me deeply ashamed and sickened. I should have never said what I said to her. She didn't deserve any of it." I unclenched the fists I had unknowingly tightened, and looked up at Noble.

The man simply raised an eyebrow, indicating for me to go on.

"But, the past is in the past. As you told me, yesterday is history. It's time for me to start living in the present, truly and completely. I plan to take full advantage of the good opportunities and people that life will be kind enough to give to me and…" I trailed off, unsure how to phrase the upcoming part, "and I want to start with Rose. We've been brought back together, I don't know how, maybe by fate, maybe by some other higher power, I honestly don't care. All I care about is that Rose is giving me another chance, and I do not want to mess this up. So, I guess what I am trying to convey by coming here is…is that whether you approve of it or not, I am pursuing Rose once again." I finished, breathing out a deep breath and waiting for the man's reaction.

There was a beat of silence before…

"Okay."

I blinked. Once. Then twice.

"I'm sorry? Could you repeat that?" I had to be hearing wrong. This could not be that easy.

"I said," Noble's eyes held a particular glow of amusement, "okay. You can go, as you say, 'pursue' Rose."

My brain still could not comprehend how seemingly easy this was going.

"I well, I don't know what to say," I admitted somewhat sheepishly. "Thank you?"

Noble chuckled at that, "I'm glad you're grateful, Belikov. Anything else you want to talk about while you're here?"

Yes. One simple, nagging question. Though I might regret asking it…

"Why?"

"I'm sorry?" Noble raised his eyebrows, though his grin betrayed his amusement once again.

"I'm just wondering why you aren't threatening me within an inch of my life, or demonstrating, quite graphically, what you'll do to my body if I hurt Rose, or painting quite a colorful picture of my untimely demise if anything were to happen to Rose."

"Wow. The rest of the gang really got to you, didn't they?" The man regarded me with wide eyes.

"Well, not thirty minutes ago Agent Abrams sat down next to me and started eating my sandwich yet somehow got me to promise not to harm Rose without a word."

"Huh, that's new from Dianna," he mused for a second before shaking himself out of it. "Anyway, I see no point in threatening you Belikov. Yes, you made incredibly stupid mistakes in the past regarding Rose, but I think you and I can both agree that you beat yourself up for those mistakes more than I ever could. Besides, you make Rose happy Belikov," Noble admitted with a slight smile, "and that's all I want for her. Rose is a person who deserves to be astronomically happy…she's a special woman."

"Yes, she is." I agreed with the man, nodding along with him.

We sat in silence for another few seconds before I began to make my exit. "Well," I said, getting up, "thank you for your time, Agent Noble."

"Please, call me Ben." Noble waved casually as he stood as well.

"Of course," I nodded before making my way to the door.

"Hey, Belikov?" Noble called out right as I made it to the door.

"You can call me Dimitri," I replied as I turned.

Ben smiled and chuckled a bit before nodding. "Well then Dimitri, I can see you're a bit scared. A bit scared about how all this will turn out, about the future, about the uncertainty and the limited time frame with this thing you and Rose are starting. But forget about all that. Just cherish the moments you'll have with her. Treat her well, have fun and relish in that special feeling that only that special person can bring. Spend the next few weeks with as little regrets as you can. Just be happy with the time that you have with her."

I regarded the man carefully. He seemed to be speaking from experience. My curiosity was piqued, but I did not want to pry.

"Thank you Ben, I'll try my best."

"That's all I ask of you," the man smiled.

I reopened the door and stepped through the threshold, bidding goodbye to the agent. I started heading down the hallway once again, replaying the events that had just transpired in my mind.

That felt way too easy.

And that put me on edge more than anything threat could.

* * *

"So he just gave his blessing? No threats or any other crazy stunts?" Danila raised an eyebrow in slight disbelief.

"The man was extremely cordial, friendly even," I breathed out as I started another round of pull-ups.

Danila appeared thoughtful. "Well Noble is a level-headed, likable guy. I guess we shouldn't really be surprised."

"Uh huh," I grunted out.

"You know, if it weren't for the fact that you see the man, or some ridiculous reason, as a love rival, you would actually like the man. You two could actually be friends." Danila grinned.

I shot him a look.

"Just pointing that out," he raised his hands in a peaceful gesture before setting the weights he was using back on the rack, "I'll go get some waters. Be right back."

"No problem," I grunted out as I focused back on my work out, trying to get back in the zone.

"What up, Guardian Belikov?" Agent Josh Ellerk smiled good-naturedly as he took up occupation on the pull-up bar next to mine.

Well, so much for the zone.

"Hello," I greeted tersely, mentally preparing myself for yet another creative threat.

"So I know," the man began as he too started his reps on the bar, "that you think I'm going to go into some gruesome detail about how I'm going to murder you if you hurt Rose."

"I've been through that three times already from five of your friends," I answered simply, "if you would like to join that-"

"Nah, I'm not as creative as Isabelle and them. Plus, you seem like you've gotten the message. I'm just here to make sure of that. So…you got the message?"

"After viewing that picture of whatever poor creature Isabelle Lightwood turned into ground meat? Yes, I got the message."

"Cool," Ellerk grinned and got off the bars. "Yeah, that's a bit extreme, but it's Izzy, what're you going to do? Besides, that's just what she'll do to you if you screw this up again. I mean, the rest of us went through Elite training too. We all know tricks to inflict maximum pain with minimal effort, or you know, just make someone disappear completely if they disappoint us."

Well then…

"Thanks for the memo," I said dryly, also hopping off the bar.

The man gave a great laugh.

"Nice talk Belikov! See you around!" And with that, the man gave me a friendly punch to the arm, then began to walk off.

"Agent Ellerk-"

"Call me Josh," the man grinned happily.

"Josh," I cleared my throat, "do you happen to know Rose's favorite doughnut shop?"

The man blinked, then raised an eyebrow, then grinned once again. "Yeah, it's the place called Donut Worry, Be Happy-" I had to snort at the pun, "It's right on the main street, like four blocks down."

"Thank you," I nodded gratefully.

"Check you around Belikov!" And with that, the man walked out of the gym.

Right as Danila came back.

"Hey, I think that went well," Danila commented as he handed me a water bottle. "Josh is very nice."

"Out of all the threats I've gotten so far, I liked his the best, he at least tried to be subtle," I mused before I chugged down my bottle.

From beside me, Danila let out an amused laugh.

"I'm glad you enjoy my pain," I frowned.

He only laughed harder.

* * *

"So," Nicholas looked like a child on Christmas day as Danila and I slid into the booth he and Pavel were currently occupying, "tell me about your day."

"Do you really want to know about my day? Or do you just want to know if I got ambushed by one of Rose's many friends since lunch?"

"The latter!" Pavel and Nicolas crowed as they leaned forward in glee.

"Dear lord," Danila muttered after taking a sip from his beer, "we really are turning into a bunch of gossiping ladies."

"Shush!" Nicholas scolded.

"Talk," Pavel encouraged me.

"It was just Josh Ellerk," I replied simply.

"Aw, that couldn't have gone too bad! Josh is really chill." Nicholas frowned. "Though he is one of the best wrestlers in this generation of the Elite, did he pull any moves on you?"

"I get the feeling that you guys like seeing me in pain," I responded, dryly.

"We're your friends Dimitri. We don't like watching you in pain, but of course we like seeing you get threatened within an inch of your life by multiple people."

"It's better than television," Pavel laughed, the other two joining.

"I'd never thought I'd say this, but I think Sergei has the best personality out of all of you," I muttered.

There was a beat of silence.

"That's cold, Belikov. Cold." Nicholas took a sip of his beer while clutching his heart in apparent pain.

"I thought we were friends-" Pavel started.

"I thought we were partners-" Danila added.

"You all are a bunch of-"

"Hello boys."

And just when I thought I was done with the threats.

Agent Leigha Sarati.

The woman looked like the quintessential American nice girl, with light brunette curls and a seemingly permanent smile on her face. Her light brown eyes, always with a spark.

Right now they had a mischievous spark.

"Hello Leigha," the other three said in stereo. Gleeful stereo.

I need new friends.

"Please, sit down!" Nicholas enthused as the thee of them began to squish together to make room for the lady.

"Thank you," she sat down across from me and beamed at the three of us.

Pavel, Danila and Nicholas all grinned in anticipation.

"Hello Agent Belikov," the girl took a sip of beer.

"Please, call me Dimitri."

"Okay, Dimitri. I think you have something to say to me?"

"Well…"

"Like, an announcement or something? Something pertaining to Rose? One of my closest friends and my boss?" Leigha continued sweetly, taking another sip of beer.

"Oh well, I guess Rose and I are tentatively starting out relationship again."

"Tentiatively," Nicholas snickered, "who uses that kind of language?"

"Shh!" Danila and Pavel shooed at Nicholas.

The agent ignored the three of them and continued on. "You don't sound too sure."

"I'm sorry?" I raised an eyebrow.

"You used the word 'guess.' You guess you guys are giving it another go?"

"Well, yes." I nodded, unsure of what she would do.

"Here's the thing Belikov. I've known Rose for five years now, so I like to think that I know what she likes in a man. Granted, she hasn't really had much romantic socialization with many men here, but still, I know the qualities she's looking for. And one of the most important qualities? Determination. She wants a man who is strong, steady and sure. He needs to be sure of himself and his actions, and he should be able to carry out his actions to the end. If said guy said that he wanted to take Rose out on a date, he would do it. And he would do it well! By the end of that date, Rose would be thoroughly wooed and dated. No doubt about it. And if said guy said that he wanted to date Rose? Well then he better date the crap out of her! Just because she's a badass doesn't mean she doesn't desire romance and chivalry and sweet-but-borderline-cheesy-gestures! In fact, she deserves all of that and more! SO this guy needs to be pretty damned creative and pretty damned determined to make Rose happy. This guy wouldn't walk around all like 'Well, I _guess _we're dating,' no!" The petite agent smacked her hand against the table so hard, Nicholas actually took a break from his poor attempts to stifle his laughter, and jumped. "This guy would be sure that he's dating Rose and would be damn sure of it! And damn proud to boot! So, I'm going to give you another chance here Dimitri. Do you have anything you want to say to me?" Agent Sarati finished sitting back into the booth and smiling angelically, a far cry from her demeanor mere seconds ago.

"That was the greatest part of my day," Nicholas grinned, looking at the female agent in awe.

"Shhh!" Came the reply from the other too, though they seemed to be struggling not to laugh.

"Yes Agent Sarati, I have something to say to you," I ignored the three idiots I called my friends.

She smiled and took another sip of her beer, an invitation to continue.

"I am pursuing Rose and have no plans to allow anyone to get in my way."

"_That_ is what I'm talking about!" The agent laughed as Danila, Pavel and Nicholas all let out a great _whoop_ and clapped.

I had to grin. It did feel amazing to say outloud.

"Now that you've firmly confirmed your intentions," that wicked gleam was back in the agent's eye, "you get to show me how dedicated you are to Rose, by filling out this short questionnaire!"

And with that, Leigha Sarati pulled out a packet, and dropped it on the table.

I reached for it.

The thing was at least five pages long.

"Well, I got to get back to Chuck," she gestured to a booth a few down from ours where a man was grinning at us. "Just put the papers in my mail box at the Elite when you're done Dimitri. See you guys later!"

"Bye Leigha!" Came the reply from my so-called friends.

Then the questionnaire was violently ripped out of my hands.

"This questionnaire has been designed by yours truly, Leigha Mikayla Sarati to help me gauge how devoted you , Dimitri Belikov, are to my dear friend, Rose Hathaway, as well as to allow me to get you know you a bit more." Nicholas read aloud happily.

"Question one," Pavel laughed, "_Have you ever been convicted of a felony?"_

"Question twenty three, _Give me three good reasons why I should not hex you to another dimension in the event that you hurt Rose,"_ Danila grinned jovially.

"_Please name at least three people who can vouch for your good nature. _Put us, Belikov!_" _Nicholas practically glowed with excitement. "Who has a pen!? I need one stat!"

And in that moment, I watched three grown Guardians fight over a silly survey. I was just about to tell them what I thought about their idea when my phone rang.

An unknown number flashed on the screen.

I frowned but picked it up anyway.

And was glad I did.

"Hey Dimitri," Rose's voice came through the phone, "pick 1 or 2."

"Roza?" I asked, shocked.

This immediately halted the hunt for a pen as all three men stopped and eagerly paid attention.

"Pick 1 or 2, Dimitri." Roza repeated, amused.

"1," I answered randomly.

"Behind option number one is Turkish mezes. Meet you at the Main Street station in ten minutes." That was all I got before the line went dead.

"Well?" Pavel demanded.

"We're getting Turkish mezes," I replied, still in shock.

"Looks like you have a hot date tonight! Better get going Belikov!"

* * *

**OMG! OMG! A Romitri date! What are we going to wear? What to do with our hair? *runs around frantically***

**Haha, just kidding! ****Anyway, get excited guys! We got a Romitri date!**

**So, guys, what did you think?**

**About the Ben and Dimitri talk?**

**About Josh?**

**About Leigha?**

**About Dimitri's little gang? **

**About the end?**

**Leave me your thoughts in a review, my dears! Reviews encourage me to write faster and since I have an extra day off this coming week...we might have an earlier update! *smiles innocently***

**However, for now, I need to get some sleep. I have an eight hour shift in the morning and I need to be up in like...five hours. **

**So, to help me get through me day (and get an earlier update) leave me your lovely thoughts!**

**Until next time, have a nice day/night!**

**PS. It's rather late here, so any mistakes will be fixed later! **


	37. Mezes and Horrific Stories

**Hey, I'm a week early!**

**This goes out to Ilovesos9467 and BethisMyName. **

**Ilovesos9467 wanted to Dimitri to know more about Rose and her new life. **

**BethIsMyName had the cutest idea regarding doughnuts!**

**I love them both.**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Rose Mazur**

"How was your day, Dimitri?" I asked as I took a sip of my water.

Forty minutes later and one largely silent subway ride later, Dimitri and I sat at my favorite little meze place in Little Istanbul.

"Rather interesting to say the least. How about you, Roza?" Dimitri smiled heart-meltingly back at me.

"Trained, sims, paperwork," I shrugged, "the usual."

Dimitri smiled.

I smiled.

"What did Ben do to you?"

Dimitri raised an eyebrow, amused. "Ben was perfectly fine. I just wanted to have a talk with him."

"And?" I hedged.

"Well, we did indeed have a conversation, a nice, completely civil conversation. I just wanted to clarify some issues and he completely understood. "

"And did he...do anything stupid?"

"Well that depends on your definition of stupidity," Dimitri smirked.

I breathed out harshly and narrowed my eyes at the man sitting before me.

He simply took a sip of his raki. "This is good."

I had to smile a little bit at that. "Glad you think so," I said before taking a sip of my own.

"If you're wondering if he threatened me or anything like that, he didn't."

"He didn't?" I raised an eyebrow, or attempted too. I think my eyebrow just twitched, causing Dimitri's eyes to flicker up there and a small chuckle to escape him.

"No, in fact it was mostly me talking. He simply listened and gave me some advice. He didn't tell you this?"

"No, he refused." I pouted, causing another chuckle from Dimitri.

* * *

_"Tell me!"_

_"No."_

_"Tell me!"_

_"Hmm, no I don't think so."_

_"Ben!" My tone regressing to a whine._

_"Rose!" My partner laughed._

_"I hate you so much right now!" I huffed, sinking further into my seat, pouting._

_Yes I know I'm no better than a petulant five year old right now. So sue me._

_"Love," Ben chuckled, "I'm telling you nothing happened. The man just came to me to talk about you."_

_"But what did you say? What did you do?" I cried, throwing my hands up._

_"I said nothing. He did most of the talking. And for the last bleeding time! I did nothing to harm the man!"_

_"Fine then, what did he say?"_

_"I think that's between us, don't you say?" Ben smirked. "If you want to know what happened, why don't you ask Belikov?"_

"_Maybe I will," I huffed. "I'm sure I can find his number around here somewhere…Aha!" _

_I triumphantly grinned as I found the number and saved it into my phone._

"_Are you asking the man out on a date?" Ben raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms._

"_Not a date, just to dinner so I can figure out what you two were talking about –"_

_I stopped short and narrowed my eyes at my partner._

"_What?" Ben blinked innocently._

"_You set me up," I said accusingly. "You're purposely withholding information to get me and him together!"_

"_Oh Love, do you really think I am capable that degree of trickery?" Ben laughed, leaning back into his chair._

"_Yes," I hissed._

_And with that, my partner burst into maniacal laughter._

* * *

"He wouldn't tell me anything. Good for nothing foreigner," I grumbled.

Dimitri laughed, then took another sip from his raki, amused. I mimicked his motions, pouting slightly.

"How did you find this place?" Dimitri suddenly changed the direction of the conversation.

"I like to explore," I said simply. "Actually, didn't even know Caelum had a Little Istanbul for a while. One day I just had a craving for Lahmacun and I kept whining to Aiden about it so he took me here, a little bit of Turkey in Caelum."

"Like Little Russia," Dimitri nodded thoughtfully.

"Yes, just like Little Russia," I laughed.

"So…what is Lahmacun?" Dimitri asked after a small beat of silence.

"Oh!" I could almost hit myself of course Dimitri wouldn't know what it was, "it's like this flatbread with a spicy meat spread on it. And you top it with lemon juice and a little salad, it's amazing! You have to try it sometime, Comrade. I'll take you, there's a neat little place that does them, just around the corner –" I stopped short, realizing what I had just done.

Judging by the hope in Dimitri's eyes and the small grin on his face, he knew what just happened as well.

I had just extended the invitation for another date.

Holy crap.

"I'd love to get some with you, Roza," Dimitri replied sweetly.

I think I just blushed a little. Damn him.

"Next time," I promised.

"I'll hold you to that," Dimitri smiled, and then we both laughed, but we both felt the weight of his promise.

Luckily, I was saved from having to reply by the arrival of our waiter, baring a tray full of tiny plates full of deliciousness and a basket of bread.

"_Teşekkür ederim_," I thanked the waiter, who nodded kindly before walking off.

"Okay, so we have haydari, that's yogurt, dill, and garlic, next to it is Antep ezmei, which is kinda like Turish salsa. Oh, and of course there's hummus and calamari. And also Patlican Salatasi, cooked and mashed eggplant with olive oil. That one closest to you is Sigara Borek, it's a little pastry stuffed with cheese. Then there's fava, mashed beans with olive oil and herbs and then some smoked sea bass. If you want more we can always call the waiter back!"

I looked up to see Dimitri staring wide eyed at the spread before us before he looked up at me.

"Wow," he breathed out.

"Oh Comrade," I laughed before placing a scoop of the Antep ezmei on his plate along with a piece of bread and refilling his raki, "try this one first, it's a favorite here. Take your time, mezes are meant to be shared slowly."

"Alright," Dimitri chuckled before taking a bite. I watched happily as his eyes brightened at the flavors and he began to nod approvingly.

"You like?" I asked as I speared a piece of the sea bass.

"Very nice," Dimitri said, taking another bite.

"I'm glad," I smiled warmly before letting a short silence take over. As with Dimitri and I, it wasn't an awkward silence. We simply slowly took in the scenery, took sips from our drinks, and continued to eat.

"Roza?" Dimitri broke me out of my musings.

"Yeah?" I looked up into his eyes.

"Can I ask you how you know Turkish?" He raised an eyebrow inquiringly.

I giggled at his almost schoolboy shyness. "I spent six months in Istanbul as part of a study abroad program."

"Wow. That's amazing Roza," Dimitri said with genuine surprise. "That must have been an incredible experience for you."

"It was. It was nice to get out of the States for a bit, travel, learn a bit more about myself and Turkish culture." I smiled, remembering those life-changing six months.

And all the amazing food. So good.

"Are you fluent in Turkish now?"

"More like conversational. I can understand and keep up with most conversations, but I can't write and I can really only read a few things."

"That's still incredible, Roza." Dimitri praised.

"Thanks. I loved Istanbul, it was an amazing experience."

"I can imagine. Have you gone back ever since?"

"Aiden and I spent two weeks there a couple years back, a little mini vacation."

"That's good. I'm glad you got to have that experience. You're very lucky." Dimitri smiled genuinely.

"Thanks Comrade, but tell me about yourself. Have you done any travelling the past few years? And I mean for fun, not for work." I added, knowing Dimitri.

He chuckled." Yeah, I've been back to Baia to visit my family a few times during the holidays."

"But not as much as you would like…or they would like."

Dimitri shrugged but I could see the sadness and slight shame in his eyes. "They understand."

"You really should visit more though, or at least try to call more often. Your mother worries." I frowned.

Dimitri looked taken aback. "You've spoken to my mama?"

"Aw, look at you, still calling her mama," I giggled as Dimitri rolled his eyes. "And yes, I have spoken to her, many times. In fact, I think I've gone to visit your family more than you have."

He looked startled by my admission. "What? How?"

"Well," I smeared some hummus on my bread, "every year for the holidays we, my team and I, we spend Christmas and New Years with our families before heading to Baia to celebrate the Russian Christmas with Lev and Artur and Denis and their families."

"And you take time to go and visit my family?" Dimitri asked, slightly awed.

"Well, initially I wanted to stay away, but then one day Vika bumped into me at the farmer's market and she dragged me to your house and then the next thing I know I'm shoving your mom's amazing black bread down my throat and promising to come back next year." I shrugged. "I think it was the power of the black bread."

* * *

"_Okay, so keep a look out for cabbage." Lev muttered at he and I strolled through the farmer's market. We had been sent on an important mission by Mama Markov to run out and get special spices and cabbage for a dish she was preparing for dinner tonight. _

_And by 'we' I mean me and Lev. The rest of the team was back at Lev's house, no doubt being shown numerous embarrassing baby pictures of Lev. I think the only reason Lev's mom made me go with him is so we could spend time together…you know, special alone time._

_Look, I love Lev, I really do. But like a brother. Anything else is gross._

_So here we were, out in the cold, crowded market, looking for the elusive cabbage._

"_I like this," I gestured around, "it's cute."_

"_Eye on the prize, Mazur. Cabbage."_

"_Fine, fine. I was only trying to give your hometown a compliment." I grumbled, looking more closely for the green vegetable._

"_Hey!" I stepped closer to a stall, "I think I've found it – oh, wait, nevermind. It's lettuce."_

_However when I turned back around it wasn't Lev's face that I was greeted by._

_It was Viktoria Belikova._

_She was still as I remembered. Her golden brown hair tucked into her knit beanie, her trademark Belikov eyes as brown and expressive as ever as they met mine._

"_Oh…hi," I awkwardly offered. I mean, I didn't have much else to say, not being sure how we stood considering the last time I saw her she was screaming at me._

"_I was just here with a friend," I continued, "just…buying cabbage, you know."_

_She simply continued to regard me with wide eyes._

"_Well, I should go find-woah!" I gasped through the bear hug that Viktoria enveloped me in._

"_Oh Roza! I was so worried! You just up and left us and we didn't know where you were or what happened to you and oh my gosh I was such a horrible friend! I went to Sonya and she told me everything! I'm so sorry I said those awful, awful things to you Rose! I realize I was stupid now, can you ever forgive me! And speaking of forgiveness, can you ever forgive my idiot brother? I mean, I know what he did to you was terrible, but you haven't seen him! Oh, he looks so lost and heartbroken and –"_

"_Okay, hold on a second now. Viktoria, breathe in and breathe out a couple times for me now," I encouraged gently, patting the girl on the back. Mostly I wanted to make sure she didn't pass out from talking so fast, but I also wanted her to stop talking about Dimitri. I hurt too much to hear him brought up with I was already in his hometown._

"_Oh Roza!" Viktoria started up again, "You have to come home with me! Everyone will be thrilled to see you, even Yeva! And Mama can make you more bread and it'll be like the old times and –"_

"_Uh, I'm actually buying cabbage…" _

_However, it was no use as Viktoria was already dragging me out of the market. I looked around helplessly for Lev, spotting him near a meat stall, laughing at me._

_I shot him a glare and a silent plea for help._

_He simply waved goodbye._

_Bastard._

_After a fifteen minute walk where Viktoria chattered on and on about the family in between unnecessary apologies, we reached the familiar Belikova house. An ache began to form in my chest as I looked up at the place I once wanted to call home. The warmth and people in that house, making me feel so loved, more than I ever had, was astonishing. But, in the end, it wasn't meant to be…_

_Viktoria dragged me up the steps and banged the door open, stepping excitedly across the threshold._

"_Mama, I'm back! And you'll never guess who I found at the market!" She shouted excitedly in English, probably mostly for my benefit._

"_Viktoria, inside voice!" A familiar, maternal voice admonished as she came into the living room where we were standing. "And what took you so long to –" Olena stopped and gasped as she took notice of me, her eyes widening and her hands shakily covering her mouth._

_There was an awkward silence in the air as Olena continued to gape at me while Vikotoria practically bounced with excitement. I, on the other hand, was really uncomfortable with the situation and was about to apologize for bothering them and head out when suddenly…I was enveloped in Olena Belikova's arms._

"_Oh Roza," she whispered, "you've finally come home." _

* * *

"Yeah," Dimitri smiled, a faraway look in his eye, "Mama's black bread can have that affect."

I blinked, and had to smile at the irony. Here I was, having dinner with the man I had dreaded seeing for so long back then, both of our feelings having completely changed.

"How often do you go back home?"

"Whenever I can get time off," Dimitri admitted sheepishly.

"And I guess that's not often?"

"No."

"Dimitri…that's so sad," I scowled.

"Roza, don't get mad for what I'm about to say," Dimitri cautioned.

I simply twitched my eyebrow in response.

"But your parents really missed you-"

"Wow Comrade, that's a low blow," I smirked.

"-and they love you. Despite what you may think."

"Dimitri, the Old Man sent out a search team to scour the world for me and, according to Eddie, my mom tried all of her Guardian contacts to try to find me. I know they cared…despite their…extremely detached parenting style."

Dimitri and I both had to laugh at that, because, come on, it's totally true.

"You know, I never forgot about my parents while I was here."

"Your father is a rather hard man to forget," Dimitri chuckled.

I laughed and then carried on. "After about two years, after I started getting paychecks, every year for their birthdays, Christmas and Father's and Mother's day I sent gifts."

"Really?" Dimitri sat back in shock.

"Yeah, I guess I just wanted to show them that, though I wasn't there physically, I was still thinking about them. And I wanted them to stop worrying too."

"They never stopped worrying, you know. For five years, I saw how tired they looked. That look only went away when you re-appeared with a rather large bang." Dimitri smirked, referring to nearly three and a half months ago, back at the Academy.

"Good times," I nodded happily.

At the point the waiter interrupted us with an offer for water, which we gladly accepted. After he had set our glasses down and left, I picked up the conversation.

"You know, even though I couldn't physically spend time with my parents, I learned a lot about them."

"How so?"

"Well I found out I have an aunt in Glasgow, she's my mom's little sister," I smiled as Dimitri raised his eyebrows in surprise. "She's a professor at the Elite High up there, and so is her husband. Oh, I have three cousins!" I pulled out my phone to show him a picture. "There's Marcus, he's twenty, two years younger than me; then Keira, she's seventeen; and then Katie, she's twelve."

"Wow, Roza…that's incredible," Dimitri smiled as he gazed down at the picture of my cousins and I that I took last summer.

"Yeah, it's just a little sad. She told me, she used to be so close with my mom when they were little girls. But then the year my mom officially became a Guardian, she left Glasgow and never looked back, leaving behind my aunt," I frowned as I remembered Aunt Meria's sadness as she tearfully recounted the day my mom got on that plane with her charge and didn't look back. Seems like my mom's always been good at leaving people she loves.

I shook myself out of it and focused on the man in front of me, who was also looking rather sad.

"I feel the urge to call my sisters now," Dimitri laughed, a bit ruefully.

"Yes, please do. I'm sure they miss you. Or at least making fun of you."

"Hmmm…seems that urge is fading now…"

"Dimitri!"

"I'm kidding, I'll call them soon."

"Promise?" I held out my pinky, jokingly.

"Oh, Roza." Dimitri rolled his eyes, but nonetheless clasped his pinkie with mine.

I beamed at the contact.

"Did you find out much about your father?" Dimitri changed the topic.

"Not much, you know Zmey…mysterious as always. It was a sad day too, I was looking forward to finding out why he chooses to dress like that," I pouted as Dimitri let out a hearty laugh.

"Roza, sometimes things are better left unknown, especially concerning your father."

"True. The only really juicy thing I learned was about the existence of my brother," I shrugged as I took a sip of my raki.

"Roza, I think that's a rather big discovery, you know, there's another person out there…who's half related to you…" Dimitri said drily.

"That's not as big as other stuff that I could've found out about Abe! I had to find out most things about him from reading my mom's journals that I got from my aunt." I smirked a bit here, ready to make Dimitri a tad bit uncomfortable. " You know she kept several ever since she was a little girl? She stopped the day after she dropped me off at St. Vlads, but holy shit, Comrade! The stuff I found out about my mom!"

"Roza, I don't think I need to hear –"

"She'd never admit this, but she found my dad so _hot_ the moment she met him, she just hated his arrogance."

"Please don't tell me this."

"She went on into great detail about their first meeting –"

"I don't need to know your parent's love story."

"Oh, and you know I was conceived in Greece?"

"Oh my God…" Dimitri looked slightly sick.

Good. That was my reaction too.

"Yeah, it was on a beach. My mom freaking dedicated like twenty pages in that damn journal just about that one night. Sand must've gotten everywhere-"

"Roza!"

* * *

"Dimitri?"

"Hmm?"

"I think it's time to say goodnight," I smiled as a frown took over Dimitri's features.

"But it's only…11:43!"

After Dimitri and I had finished our dinner, and I was finished disturbing him with tales of my parents' love, we slowly took a walk around Little Istanbul.

Then we slowly strolled to the subway and waited.

And now we were slowly walking in circles around my apartment block, neither of us wanting to part.

Yes, we're ridiculous.

"Maybe so," I laughed, "but we've walked around my apartment block three times already, saying goodnight."

"Really?" Dimitri looked genuinely startled, and saddened, by this fact. "Wow this block is small."

"Comrade…"

The use of his old nickname pushed him over.

"Okay," he practically pouted as he let go of my hand and stepped back. "Goodnight Roza."

I had to smile at his schoolboy like demeanor. It was so cute.

"Do you want to hang out this weekend?" I asked, smiling.

Judging by the look on Dimitri's face, I had just made his week.

"I would love to Roza," And then he smiled that smile I loved so much, and I really, really wanted to kiss him and hold him and leap into his arms so he could support me because I became goo the moment O saw that smile.

But I didn't. It was too soon.

Damnit.

"Okay, let's meet back here at this very spot. Saturday afternoon, 12ish?"

"Sounds like a plan."

"Great."

"Okay."

"Yeah, okay."

"Goodnight Dimitri."

"Goodnight Roza."

I watched him walk away until I couldn't see him anymore, still standing in front of my apartment like a lovesick fool.

Which I totally was.

* * *

I stepped into my office, opening the blinds to let the morning sun shine in. I had come into work early today to get some forms ready for the day. Plus I needed the time to make myself look normal, and less like a girl who just spent an amazing evening with the most amazing Russian God.

I did not need to deal with teasing this early from my team.

I just needed to print some paperwork and was about to do just that, when I noticed the box and note on my desk. Of course, I walked over to my desk, setting my bag and laptop down, and picked up the card, to see a familiar scrawl.

_I had fun last night, we should do it more often. Can't wait for the weekend.- D_

Opening the familiar box, I found – yep- dear God this man knew me.

A chocolate glazed doughnut from my favorite spot in the city.

I bit my lip to hold back a shit-eating grin.

I already loved today.

* * *

**Today was my birthday! Some reviews from you all would make the best gift! ;) (Plus, they help me write faster!)**

**And I think you'll want the next chapter sooner than later...we get a phone call from a certain mama...**

**Until next time guys! I love you all so much for reading and hope to hear your thoughts!**

**XOXO**


	38. What Did You Do?

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Rose Mazur**

"Well good morning, Rose. Where'd you get the doughnut?"

"And what does the note say?"

Shit. So much for an early start to my day.

_Please don't all be here, please don't all be here…_

I turned around and yep; they were all here, grinning at me. I wanted to smack the smirks off their faces. But I didn't, I simply stood straighter and smiled.

"Morning guys," I greeted my team, who were all crowded around my office doorway. "Is there a particular reason you all came in half an hour early?"

"Well we've all been really busy lately," Dianna smiled casually.

"You know, with all the simulations and paperwork and keeping an eye on the situation-" Josh added.

"And we've had really little time just to sit and bond, like we used to," Lev interjected.

"So, we were thinking about a good old team breakfast!" Leigha smiled angelically.

At this they now all were smiling angelically, looking like the perfect team, ready to take my orders and execute them to a 'T.' Now, in a normal situation, where we had work to be done and a monster out there waiting for us, I would be damn proud of them and proud to call them my own. But we weren't about to run out and take on whatever threat was waiting for us; they had all conveniently showed up at the time, and thirty minutes earlier no less, because they wanted to have a team breakfast.

Sure.

"You all want to have breakfast? That's why you all showed up this early?" I asked skeptically.

"Yes," they all said in unison.

"Is that your only reason?"

"Yes." Cue even more angelic smiles.

"Guys, come on now," I narrowed my eyes.

"You know, the lack of trust is really disheartening," Lev mock frowned.

"Yeah, I mean, you're our boss and we respect you and miss you. That's all." Denis added.

Must…not…feel…guilty…

"Rose," Dianna started, looking at me with her big doe eyes, "we just want an hour to hang out with our friend, is there anything wrong with that?"

Damn it. I'm starting to feel guilty.

"Okay, but –" I started

"What are you all doing here? And especially at this hour?"

We all turned at the sound of Ben's voice, where said man was standing at the door, eyebrow raised.

"I wanted an early start to the day, but apparently our team wants to have breakfast." I answered as Ben laughed.

"Could you all be more obvious?" My partner shook his head as the team turned to glare at him.

"Thank you," I rolled my eyes as I grabbed my doughnut and headed out of my office, forgetting about getting any work done now.

"All we want is breakfast," Lev still tried to keep up the charade.

"And breakfast is what you shall receive," Christian announced as he came through the doorway, arms laden with bags. "We're having crepes, no complaints."

"Who would ever complain about crepes?" Isabella scoffed as we all came to gather around the kitchen alcove to watch our charge make us food."

As the team began to chatter, momentarily forgetting to grill me about Dimitri, I stood a bit back and took a bite of my doughnut, nearly moaning at the sweet, fresh fried dough.

"Ahem."

I turned slowly.

Ben's smirking face greeted me as he held up Dimitri's note between his middle and pointer finger. "So, love, what happened last night?"

"Shut up," I hissed around a mouth full of doughnut.

* * *

"These are amazing, Christian," Leigha sighed happily as she took a bite out of her Nutella filled crepe.

"Are you sure you don't wanna open a restaurant? There's still time to drop out of grad school," Lev joked halfheartedly.

"But if he dropped out of grad school he wouldn't be able to see _Angelica_," I smirked as I speared a piece of crepe.

"And that would be a tragedy," Ben grinned as Christian's ears turned red.

"Remember the day they moved past mono-syllables and actually started using full sentences?" I nudged my partner.

"Ah yes, that was a momentous occasion," Ben nodded seriously, though he had a mischievous gleam in his eye. "Remember how we texted everyone that announcement?"

"That was a great milestone in the everlasting, slow moving saga of Christian and Angelica," Denis snickered as the rest of us joined him.

"Shut up." Christian growled moodily. "At least I have some…some thing going on. The rest of you are alone!"

"Wow, no need to get mean, Chris," Lev chuckled.

"Excuse me, but I'm married with a kid," Jay interjected.

"I've been with Chuck since we've been twelve," Leigha added.

"I've had a girlfriend for two years now, thank you very much," Artur added proudly.

"And Rose has something going on with Belikov, as well," Isabelle added brightly.

And now, they all turned and stared at me expectantly.

Great.

"Yes Rose," Christian leaped at the chance to get the attention off him, "tell us about you and Belikov!"

"Actually, I think you and Angelica are much more –"

"No they're not!" Lev interjected, "they've known each other for four years now and he still can't get the nerve to ask her out!"

"Hey! I'm trying to take it slow!" Christian defended.

"Where are you even taking her?" Artur snorted. "You can't even get the nerve to ask her out to coffee."

"Yeah, at least Rose has asked Belikov out on a date already," Isabelle added brightly.

"It wasn't a date!" I defended, lamely.

It kinda, sorta was a date.

"You had dinner and a conversation with someone you have romantic feelings toward and who reciprocates, it was a date," Ben stated matter-of-factly.

"Oh! Is that what happened last night? No wonder he left in a hurry!" Leigha looked delighted at this news.

"Ooh! You were at the bar with him? What was his reaction? Give us all the details!" Denis leaned forward eager for information.

My team has officially become a group of gossiping old cronies.

"Oh it was right after I left their booth. Chuck and I saw him answer his phone, I guess that's when Rose called him-"

"Excuse me, I'm sitting right here!" I added, rolling my eyes.

They all ignored me, except Ben who started laughing.

"And then his friends started cheering and clapping his back, total guy stuff-" Leigha rolled her eyes as protests rang out from our male colleagues, "-and then, it was kinda sweet! He practically bolted out of the pub to get to the station. He was so excited he pushed on the door when it said pull and nearly ran over Guardian Petrov to get out the door. That's dedication, Rose." She finished, looking pointedly at me.

"I never said it wasn't," I muttered, cutting further into my crepe.

"Holy shit," Christian breathed out. "Actual emotion from Dimitri Belikov."

"And you were there firsthand to witness it," Josh said enviously at Leigha, who flipped her hair back proudly.

"You certainly picked the best time to talk to him," Lev praised.

Wait.

"And to give him that questionnaire," Ben added, snickering.

What?

"Excuse me!" I interjected hotly, "what exactly do you mean by 'talk' and what questionnaire did you give him?"

The entire team plus Christian froze. Well except for Ben, he continued looking amused.

"Damn it Noble! Whose side are you on?" Lev sighed.

"The side of whoever can provide me the most entertainment," Ben grinned as he took a sip of his tea.

"Somebody answer my question. Now." I hissed, narrowing my eyes and crossing my arms.

It was dead silent as everyone suddenly paid deep interest in their food, no one daring to meet my gaze.

"I'm waiting," I even broke out my no-nonsense-Rosemarie-Mazur-I-can-get-my-father-to-make-you-disappear-voice, and still no reaction at all.

Finally, it was Ben who sighed and spoke up. "Each members of our team have taken it upon themselves to personally go up to Dimitri and interrogate and/or intimidate him within an inch of his life. The usual spiel will include: making sure he will not do anything bone-headed, like break your heart or hurting up in any form, then moving along to what terrible fate will await him if he does do something unsavory toward you, and then concludes with a cheerful and friendly conclusion, which is meant to confuse. Did I miss anything?" Ben blinked expectantly towards our team before breaking out into a smile and sipping more of his tea.

Judging by the looks he received, most of the team was not amused.

"Okay," I breathed out, "what did each of you do?"

Still nothing, just dead silence.

Okay fine then, I can play this game too.

"Christian?" I prompted.

"Yes?" came the response, though he did look reluctant to answer.

"If you won't tell me what you did, I will track down Angelica and ask her out for you. And I'll tell her I'm doing it because you're too chicken shit to ask her out."

"Woah," Lev whispered, "she went there."

"You wouldn't dare," Christian hissed.

"Try me," I scoffed.

Christian's eyes bored into mine.

I gazed back coolly.

"Isabella and Lev started it!" He finally blurted out.

"You're dead meat, Ozera," Isabelle hissed as I turned my gaze to her.

"What did you two do?" I asked, surprisingly calm.

"Nothing much," Lev chuckled nervously.

"If there was nothing much, then you won't mind telling me what you did." I said plainly.

"Just get it over with," Ben rolled his eyes, "it'll hurt less later."

"We just sat him down and talked to him a little bit. Just like Ben said, we swear," Isabelle rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, nothing drastic. I mean, compare to what Christian and Adrian did…" Lev shot Christian a self-satisfied smirked as I turned my attention back on our charge.

"What I did was not drastic!" The Moroi defended himself hotly.

"You're right, it was just stupid," Josh snorted.

"What did you do!" I was seriously tired of asking this question.

"He and Adrian used one of those voice altering devices and then called Dimitri, sounding like a demon out of hell who smoked twenty packs day." Dianna supplied helpfully.

"You have got to be kidding me," I said incredulously. "I can't believe you two are capable of doing something this stupid!"

"It was not a stupid idea-"

"He figured out it was you guys!" Dianna snorted.

Christian glared at her before turning back to me. "Dianna ate Dimitri's sandwich."

What the hell does that even mean? I had no words for that little tidbit of information, genuinely. Luckily, I didn't need to say anything; the others were more than willing to argue and make fun of each other for me.

"Hah! That was some real kickass work there, Di!" Josh laughed.

"The look on his face was hilarious," Jay agreed.

"Excuse me, how come Dianna is getting praised while we got yelled at?" Lev complained as Isabella and Christian nodded along.

"Because she went about this the smart way while you and Ivashkov 's covers were blown almost immediately."

"I wasn't immediately! We got out the threat before he figured out it was us!"

"I think if you had talked less about fire and burning he wouldn't have figured it out."

"Hey, you weren't there! You don't know what actually set of his suspicions!"

"I still think it was a stupid idea-"

"Hey, I was being original-"

"Enough!"

The room became quiet again and I could hear my own thoughts once again. Taking a few deep breaths, I opened my eyes to see everyone regarding me with hesitation, except for Ben. My partner merely shot me a small, sympathetic smile.

"You all are crazy," I began, my voice low. "But you're all my crazies, so I guess I won't kill you all for the stunts you've pulled." At this, everyone brightened up and began to relax, but I wasn't done yet. "I know you all did this because you care about me, and for that, I thank you all. It really means a lot, but you guys, I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself, and I like to think I know what I'm doing here."

"We know how capable you are, Rose. I mean, for crying out loud, you're our boss!" Josh started as everyone nodded. "But you're also our friend, and we remember the early days, when you first came here…how different and un-Rose-like you were, all because of a guy. We all love you, and we do not want to see that happen again."

I had to smile at that, my heart truly touched.

"You guys…I love you guys," I could only shake my head and laugh as everyone cheered, happy to not have to face the full extent of my wrath. There was just one thing left to do.

"But I want to hear what you all did. I already heard from Lev, Isabelle, Christian and Dianna. What did the rest of you do?"

Leigha sighed. "I found him at happy hour and we had a small talk, he promised to take care of you and all that good stuff. But, um, I also gave him a questionnaire to fill out."

I think I looked like a fish the way my mouth kept gaping open and close at the end of Leigha's admission. Here I thought she was more on the saner side. I guess I was wrong.

"He doesn't have to fill it out if he doesn't want to-" She started before I cut her off.

"Let's just move on, okay?" I was starting to get a headache. "Next?"

"I just had a casual conversation with him in the gym," Josh spoke up. "Okay, I may have slipped in a subtle threat at the end, but that was it. Honest."

I nodded, believing Josh. He's one of the most honest people I know.

I turned to my last three team members. "And that about you guys?"

"I haven't done anything," Jay said before taking a sip of his coffee.

"Me neither," Denis grinned.

"What they said," Artur added.

"Good," I sighed silently in relief. "And it will stay that way, do you understand me?" I added sharply.

"But-" Denis started to argue, only to wither once I shot him my signature Mazur glare.

"No buts about it. You all will leave Dimitri alone. Do you understand me?"

There was a beat of hesitation before all three of them nodded, though Denis still looked rather disappointed.

"I want you guys to promise me, actually, hold up your right hands." I held up mine to demonstrate.

"Rose, don't you think this is a bit extreme- I mean, nevermind…" Artur trailed off at the look on my face, putting his right hand up.

"Okay now, repeat after me. I, as a close personal friend of Rose Mazur-"

"I, as a close personal friend of Rose Mazur-" The three chorused back at me.

"-promise we will not approach Guardian Dimitri Belikov-"

"-promise we will not approach Guardian Dimitri Belikov-"

"-or prank call him using some stupid demonic voice thing-" I continued, shooting a glare toward Christian as the rest of the team snickered.

"-or prank call him using some demonic voice thing-"

"-in order to intimidate and/or threaten him on any matters regarding Rose Mazur."

"-in order to intimidate and/or threaten him on any matters regarding Rose Mazur."

"Good boys," I smiled as I put my hand down. "And remember, if you break this promise, I will put Unsatisfactory on your next performance reports."

"Yeah, yeah," Denis pouted as we all burst into laughter.

Soon, the conversation changed topics as we returned our attentions toward other topics, and our food. I have to admit, this feels nice. I've missed being with my team like this, all of us so casual and relaxed and just enjoying each other's company. I truly have missed my team.

However, I still kept a close eye on the remaining trio who did not threaten Dimitri.

They gave in to my demands easily…way too easily.

* * *

_**A few days later…in a random storage closet in Elite HQ**_

"Should we be doing this?" The Russian whispered nervously to his companion. "What if Rose happens to walk by and-"

"Oh you worry too much." The other man whispered back as he focused on pressing the correct buttons. "The odds of Rose passing by right at this second are virtually impossible and you know it. Now hush, I'm trying to make a phone call here."

The other man sighed, knowing that what they were doing, though Rose wouldn't like it, was all for her. They wanted to see her happy, and Belikov made her happy.

They had to do this, for Rose.

The storage closet was silent, save for the faint ringing, indicating a call was being made. The ringing continued on and on for a while before-

"Алло?"

* * *

_**Saturday**_

**Dimitri Belikov**

My entire body was aching and sore. From the simulations that continued to test us and advance in difficulty, to the workouts I put myself through to stay on track, I was a very tired man. However, one thought, and one thought only, had gotten me through the rest of the week.

Today. Saturday.

Today, I would see Roza once again, and not in a professional setting at the Elite.

To say I had been looking forward to this would be an understatement.

It was nearly noon and I was just about to leave my room at the Guardians to head down to Rose's apartment. Honestly, I had no idea what we were going to be doing today, but I looked forward to it. I was just about to leave the room when my phone rang.

I rolled my eyes, fulling expecting it to be one of the guys. They had given me some immense grief and ribbing over my new relationship (if we could even call it that) with Rose, and over how excited I got every time I had the chance to be with her.

I didn't care. Roza was worth all the teasing and lewd jokes.

I didn't even bother to look at the caller ID before picking up.

"Hello?" I greeted impatiently as I stepped out of my room and locked the door.

"Dimitri Belikov!"

* * *

**"Алло?" = Typical Russian greeting when answering a phone call according to several Internet sources. If I'm wrong, I do apologize.**

**Okay, so I know we were supposed to hear from a certain Mama this chapter, but that didn't happen. However, that conversation will be the first thing next chapter! I promise.**

**Also, thank you all so much for the birthday wishes! They meant a lot coming from you guys! *sends love and cookies through the Interwebs***

**I also do apologize for the lateness on this one. I've had family come visit these past few weeks, and I hit a little spell of laziness, hence the lateness and why I cut the chapter in half. It is a horrible thing to have, but I'm back!**

**Please leave me a little love and your thoughts in the comments and I'll see you all next time!**

**XOXO**


	39. The Weekend: Part One

**This chapter is dedicated to Hiseask and Sweetlatina, both of whom wanted to see some Romitri playing babysitter! **

**I love them dearly.**

**Also, so remember a long time ago when someone asked me about Tasha and I said she'll have a small role in this story? **

**Well...this is the chapter**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Dimitri Belikov**

"Mama?" I could hardly believe it. I never gave my family the new phone number I had received when we arrived here. I hadn't even had time to explain to them what had been occurring for the past three months.

"Dimitri Belikov!" Mama's normally kind and gentle tone was shrill and I knew I was in for a talking to. "Why have you not told me about what has been going on with your life these past three months? Do you not care to inform your loving family about your whereabouts? Three months, мой сын! Three months we just thought you were at Court, with your usual schedule! But no, you were not! And you didn't even have the decency to tell us. I had to find out from Ksenia and Mischa! How could-"

I groaned as Mama continued on her little tirade. She was hardly ever like this, but when something set her off, she went _off_. And I could only imagine what she had discussed with her friends, Ksenia and Mischa were nice women, but when they got together with Mama, the gossip never stopped.

Wait a second.

"Mama, how did Ksenia and Mischa know about this?"

* * *

_**A few days earlier…in a random supply closet in Elite HQ**_

"_Алло?" came Ksenia Komarova's cheerful voice through the phone._

"_Mama!" Denis happily crooned._

"_Oh Denis! My dear boy, it is about time you have called home! You know I worry! And your sister worries too! Ah, my dear, tell me how are you?" Mama Komarova gushed, so happy to hear from one of her dear sons._

"_I'm doing well, Mama, stop worrying." Denis chuckled. "Actually, I'm calling with some news…"_

"_Did you finally meet a nice girl? Oh my sweet boy! I'm so-" _

"_No, mama!" Denis rolled his eyes while Artur snickered. "It's actually not news about me. Do you remember Dimitri Belikov? Olena's son?"_

"_Oh yes! That poor man, remember the last time he came home? Oh, Olena was ecstatic, but he looked so sad and lost-"_

"_Yeah, well good news! Dimitri has found a girl! You know Rose, right?"_

"_Oh! Your friend, Rose? Oh she's lovely, he's lucky to have her back! My goodness, Olena must be ecstatic for this to happen. I think I'll go over there soon and-"_

"_Oh, Mama, why don't you go now? We can talk anytime, why don't you pay a visit to Olena, eh?" Denis grinned as his mother agreed and he could hurriedly hear her scurrying about. "Mhmm, yes. I love you too, Mama. Bye!"_

_The Russian smirked, pleased with himself, then held the phone out for his friend. "Your turn."_

_Sighing, Artur dialed his familiar home number, and waited for his mom to pick up._

"_Алло, Natalya Dobrynina speaking."_

"_Natalya! It's Artur, is Mama there?"_

"_брат! We've missed you so much! How are you?" _

"_I'm well, sister. Listen, I need to tell Mama something really quick and then we'll talk, can you put her on?"_

"_Sure! Mama!" A beat later, Mischa Dobrynina came to the phone._

"_Artur! My Sweetling!"_

"_Mama, I've got news…" Artur smirked a bit as Denis shot him a thumbs up._

Ten minutes after Artur told his mother the good news, Olena Belikova opened her front door to her two friends congratulating her on her only son finally finding love.

This was the first Olena had even heard that Dimitri had managed to find his Roza, her son had told her nothing.

Needless to say, the Dimitri was in trouble.

Artur and Denis grinned as they walked out of that storage closet. Their work was done.

* * *

"Never mind how they knew about this, the important thing is that you neglected to tell us, your family."

"Mama! I'm sorry, it's just that, we've been extremely busy over here and I've forgotten-"

"More like he's been busy trying to win back Roza," I heard another female snort in the background.

Sonya. Great, they were all there, no doubt.

"Dimka!" Viktoria sang as her voice came over the line. "Tell what you've been doing to win back Roza!"

"It better be good!" Karolina's voice could also be heard. "I want another sister!"

"Please, it's our brother. We'll be lucky if he even grows a pair and mans up enough to ask the poor girl out on a date," Sonya scoffed.

"Sonya, if I was there right now I would gladly throw something at you-" I growled.

"Why don't you just throw your manhood? It's not like you're using it!" Vika crowed smugly as my other sisters burst of laughing.

"Girls!" I could vaguely hear Mama admonish.

"For your information, Vika, I have a date with Roza." I gritted out.

That was a mistake. The line was silent for the briefest of seconds before the tittering of excited female voices started up again.

"Girls, hush. I need to talk to your brother privately." Thankfully it seemed that Mama was re-taking control of the conversation

"But Mama!"

"No buts, leave please."

The line was silent once again, save for the sounds of my sisters shuffling out of the room, before Mama came on the line again.

"Son?" Her sweet voice was a great welcome.

"Yes, Mama?" I smiled.

"Listen here, Dimitri Belikov! First off, how could you not tell me about this new program you're involved with? Do you know how different this is from the type of work you usually do? How much more training and experience you need? Roza had to go back to school for another two years to learn everything, and you've only been there for a few months. But remember, you're in very capable hands, listen to Roza! Okay? She's very good at her job, and her friends are all lovely. And speaking of Roza, what are your intentions with her? And what about this date today?" Mama finally took a breath, and I sighed in relief.

"Yes, I understand Mama. I'm fine and perfectly safe, I know what I'm getting myself into. And I simply haven't had the time to call, you know how busy I can get, relax. You worry too much," I chuckled.

"I am your mother," Mama huffed, "it is my job to worry. And don't think you are off the hook yet. You still have not answered my question about your date today."

"It's not really a date per say. I'm just meeting her today…for a little bit. We were just going to spend some time in each other's company."

"Dearest, that is a date. And you better make it a good one if you want Roza back, do you understand me?"

"Yes, Mama."

"Good, now go out and whoo your girl, my son. Next time you visit I expect, Roza to be with you…or else. Do you understand me? If you break this poor girl's heart one more time I will take you off this Earth myself."

I swallowed. "I understand, Mama. I really have to go now though and-"

"Wait! Let me talk to the fool," a familiar, raspy sounding voice could be heard.

Oh Yeva, why now?

"Boy!" She came on the line and barked at me.

"Yes, babushka?" I rubbed my eyes wearily. At this rate I was going to be late.

"This will take a lot of hard work on your part, but the coldness will end soon. Warmth will soon return to your life and with it bring a marvelous flower. Do not mess this up…again."

And with that, she hung up.

Shaking my head, I checked the clock and cursed. I would most definitely be late.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, I arrived at the entrance of Roza's apartment community, where we agreed to meet. There were eight apartment skyrises, forming a near circle with a rather clean and nice looking courtyard in the middle. People were coming and going from all of the buildings, seemingly enjoying their weekends. I pulled out my phone to check the time. I was ten minutes late, but Roza wasn't here either.

_Oh typical Roza_. I had to shake my head and smile fondly, not surprised.

While I was checking my phone, I heard soft footsteps approaching, and looked up just in time to see

"Guardian Belikov," Noble smiled as he approached me. The man looked like he was stepping out , dressed casually for the slightly warm weather.

"Agent Noble," I greeted back hesitantly.

"Please, I told you to call me Ben."

"Right, of course," I nodded, though I still was not comfortable with calling him that.

"Anyway, what brings you here?"

"I.." I hesitated here. Should I tell him? Do I want him to know I have plans with Roza? For a second, I didn't, not wanting to share Roza or our plans with him. And then I realized, I was still slightly jealous of the man. Even though it was all but confirmed that Roza and Noble are not…involed in anyway romantically, I have yet to hear it from Roza directly. And furthermore, though they are not dating, have they ever dated? Why haven't Roza and I ever discussed this? Oh God, I've been reduced down to nothing but an insecure teenager.

"Are you planning on meeting with Rose?" Noble asked, seeming amused.

"I…yes." I admitted.

At this, Noble seemed even more amused as he began to chuckle. "She's actually a bit busy right now, so why don't you just go up to meet her? She lives in the second apartment, fifteenth floor, apartment B.

"She's busy? Should I wait then, or postp-"

"Oh no, the…project she's working on requires a little help. Go on up and help her…you'll thank me later." And with that, the man walked briskly away down the street, laughing.

I had no idea what that was about, but decided to head up anyway. If Roza needed my help, then I would help her.

Heading in to the second apartment, I nodded at the doorman, who gave me a nod in return, and headed up the elevator, watching as the light slowly indicated the elevator had risen to the fifteenth floor of the apartment complex. Apartment 15B was the second to last door on the left.

From behind the door I could hear faint sounds. I could faintly hear a TV, but the most predominant sound was of footsteps and laughter. Many small sounding footsteps and playful shrieks.

Frowning, puzzled at what the sound could be, I approached the door, and knocked.

Seconds later, there was the sound of the pitter-patter of running and an exuberant cry of "daddy!" before the door was thrown open…

…and a child, a young boy, stood before me, his little brow crinkled in confusion.

"You're not my daddy," the boy said disappointedly.

"I-no, I'm afraid not…sorry." That was the only response I had in a situation like this.

"Jack! I told you to let me answer the door-" Rose cut off with a gasp as she caught sight of me in the doorway. "Dimitri!"

"Roza," I answered back, amused with her reaction. I took this moment to look around her apartment . The living room was the first thing one would step into, furnished with a couch, a love seat, and a coffee table. Right next to the entry way was a small table currently containing some mail and keys, beyond the table was the flatscreen TV on the wall, which was currently showing a cartoon. The kitchen was behind the living room. It was small, but the appliances looked new and clean. A small island, which I assume doubles as a small table, was what separated the living room and kitchen. To the right of that was a rather large window, which gave access to amazing views of the city and a small balcony. And right across from my position at the doorway, was a small set of stairs, which I assume lead to the bedroom.

Overall, the apartment was very nice, much nicer than the Guardian housing situation at Court. The apartment was also currently filled with children.

Lots of children.

"Who are you?"

My attentions were brought back to the present by the little boy who had answered the door, the same little boy who was now looking quite stern for his age and had his arms crossed, glaring up at me.

I blinked, amused. "My name is Guardian Belikov. If you want, you may call me Dimitri."

"Hmm," the boy's eyes narrowed shrewdly, "let's just stick with Guardian Belikov for now."

"Jack!" Roza's voice reminded me of the situation. I looked up to see that, despite her admonishment mere seconds ago, her eyes were light and looking fondly down at the little boy.

"What, Auntie Roza? I'm just being careful! Mommy and Daddy say to always be careful around strangers." The little boy, Jack, nodded sagely.

"He's not a stranger!" Another small, but this time familiar voice piped up. "He's Auntie Rose's friend! Hi Mr. Big Man!" The cheerful little voice of Roza's niece, Luna, greeted me as she approached us.

"Hello Luna," I chuckled down at the little girl, who positively beamed.

"See?" She said somewhat smugly toward Jack, "If he were a stranger, would he know my name?"

"Well-" The boy looked indignant and the children began a small debate. I used the brief moment to turn to Roza inquiringly.

"I'm so sorry Dimitri! I meant to tell you last night, but I was so busy with the kids. Jay and his wife wanted a date night so they asked me to watch Jack for the night, they'll be here to pick him up soon. But then my brother's girlfriend, she was supposed to comeback last night from visiting her dad, but her flight got delayed and my brother has a game today, so I totally forgot about today and took the kids. And then, Tasha and her husband-"

That stopped me short. Surely, I couldn't have that right.

"Tasha? Husband?"

Rose stopped her cute little rant, her eyes wide. "Well, uh-when was the last time you spoke with Tasha?"

"We don't really have time to talk. Actually we haven't actually seen each other for two year now. Whenever we speak on the phone it's rather brief, she's always busy with something."

Rose's eyes were still wide. "She never told you."

"Never told me wha-?"

"Dimka?"

Speaking of…

"Tasha." I turned around, and there stood Tasha, regarding with wide eyes, but a brilliant smile.

"Dimka! Oh, I heard you were here with the program and all that," she all but squealed as she wrapped me in a tight hug, "but I've been in Germany for the past few weeks so I haven't gotten the chance to call you and meet up, but we have to soon, okay? It's been the longest-"

"Ahem."

It was then, quite suddenly, that I noticed the man standing behind Tasha, which was surprising given his appearance. The man was at least as tall as me, with a strong athlete's frame.

"Oh, I'm so sorry babe! Dimka," Tasha happily wrapped her arms around the man, and he in turn did as well, "this is my husband, Andrei. Andrei, this is Dimitri, one of my oldest friends."

"Nice to meet you," the man responded, holding out his hand to shake. He had a German accent that was incredibly thick, even I had a tough time understanding that simple sentence.

"Nice to meet you too," I nodded, shaking his hand.

Tasha seemed ready to start another conversation, but she was cut off by the arrival of two children.

"Mommy! Daddy! You're here! You're here!" Two little blond whirlwinds ran past Roza and I, and into the arms of Tasha and her husband.

"Hello my darlings," Tasha cooed, "oh we missed you guys so much last night! Were you two good for Miss Rose?"

"Yes, mommy," the two little girls, twins, nodded vigorously. They seemed to be around the age of two and had the signature Ozera eyes, but their father's blond hair.

"Are we sure about that?" Andrei teased, tickling each girl gently as they giggled.

"They were angels," Roza added, smiling.

"Thank you so much for taking them Rose, and last minute too! I have got to talk to that nephew of mine! What was he thinking? They're his cousins! Oh-"

"It's alright, Tasha. I was already running Rose's Babysitting Services, two more kids were nothing," Roza waved off.

"Thank you so much again! Okay, we have to go now, we have reservations across town and we don't wanna be late. Do you girls have all your stuff? Good. Dimka, we should meet up for drinks sometime. I'll call you!" Tasha called down the hallway as she and her family were already halfway down and towards the elevator, not even giving me a chance to respond.

"What just happened?" I turned to Roza, my brain still not fully comprehending.

Roza laughed, "Come on, I'll get you some coffee."

I slowly followed Rose into the room, careful not to step on any of the toys still littering the ground.

"So," Roza began as she poured me a cup, "Tasha has a family now, as you've probably noticed."

"I-yes, Roza. I was right here about thirty seconds ago when this revelation came about," I answered dryly.

Roza rolled her eyes before handing me the mug. "Did you notice how Tasha, about four years ago just picked up and moved? Well she came here after she managed to track down Christian. Almost immediately she fell in love with this place. She has a job as an advisor to one of the Ozera's on the Equality and Rights Council. But about three years ago she met Andrei, at the Summer Cup, basically our version of the World Cup. He's a professional soccer player, and was playing on the German national team at the time. I think she told me it was love at first sight. One thing led to another, they have the twins and then just a year ago they got married. Tiny ceremony on a beach, I think it was just them, the minister and the girls. Now she mostly follows him around as he plays."

I had no response to this, though the extremely small part of me that was able to rationalize and process this was not surprised. Tasha was rather passionate, and did like to move quickly.

"Does he treat her well?"

"Mhmm," Roza rolled her eyes. However, this seemed mostly playful. It seemed that any ill will or lingering jealously between the two women was long gone. "They're so cutesy around each other it's nearly disgusting."

"Well I'm happy for her," I admitted, "she deserves it."

"Yeah, she does. Look, Dimitri, I'm so sorry about today. It's just that-" "Hey, it's okay," I quickly reassured her. "I understand it's hard to say no. You were just doing your friends and family a favor. This won't change our plans, I'll be happy to stay and help you with the kids."

"Really?"

"I'd like nothing more."

Roza seemed prepared to say something else when the doorbell rang.

And once again, Jack dropped the toys her was playing with and ran toward the door, screaming "daddy." However, it actually was his daddy, and the boy joyfully leaped into Agent Chandler's arms.

"Hey bud! Did you have fun with Aunt Rose?"

As the boy excitedly filled in his father about the details of his sleepover, I glanced over at Roza…to find her staring at me. I raised an eyebrow in question and Roza simply looked away, a small smile on her face. I slowly turned back too, keeping an eye on Roza with my peripheral vision. I watched as she continued to study the father and son in front of her with a smile…before looking slowly back at me with a sweet…tenderness? I light blush rose on her cheeks as she caught me looking at her, a smirk on her lips as she turned away and paid extra attention to a non-existent spot on her shirt.

I had to smile as well as I allowed our arms to casually brush against each other as we leaned against the counter together.

"Rose," the gruff voice of Agent Chandler snapped Roza and I out of our little bubble.

"Yeah, Jay?" Roza smiled.

"We're going to head out, Aria's waiting for us at the park. I'll see you Monday?" The man smiled, though he did pause to look at me briefly, an amused smile on his face.

"See you Monday, Jay. Bye-bye, Jack!" Roza blew the little boy a kiss, which he promptly returned, giggling as his father carried him out the door.

This left me with Roza, in her toy filled apartment, with three more children.

"Three down, three more to go," Roza smiled, blowing out a breath.

* * *

"Auntie Rose! Come play on the swings with us!" Luna cheered as our little group arrived at the park, the three children immediately rushing toward the large play structure.

From beside me Roza chuckled. "I actually have to set up the picnic. Can you entertain them? Lunch will be ready in like fifteen minutes."

"Of course," I replied, already strolling toward the play area as Roza went to find a nice grassy area.

"Mr. Big Man! Come push us on the swings! Please?" Lianna pouted cutely.

"All of you?" I chuckled, seeing that all three of the kids each had a swing.

"Yes! You can do it Mr. Big Man! You're really strong!" Piped up Luke.

And with that, a chorus of "please, please, please" hit me and refused to relent.

"Alright, alright," I chucked as I stood behind the children and began to gently push them, alternating between the three of them. Soon a small competition broke out between the children to see who could swing the highest. Luna, being the oldest and therefore the bigger body, was able to push herself more than her younger siblings. Feeling a bit bad, I snuck a little help to Lianna and Luke, who positively beamed at me, and soon I had three giggling children on my hands. I leaned against the swing structure, smiling at joy and laughter that filled the space. I watched the children for a few more minutes before I felt noticed a presence behind me. Turning a bit, I found Roza behind me, with a similar smile to mine as she took in the scene before her.

"Is the picnic all set up?" I asked.

"What? Oh, yeah," Roza shook herself a bit. "I was calling you guys but you all were too busy having fun…without me," she pouted cutely.

I had to laugh at her reaction. "We'll have fun together later, Roza."

There was a silence that took over between the two of us as we both realized what I just said.

"I mean, with the kids. We'll spend some time, some fun time, with the kids later and-" I rambled on as I tried to clarify the situation. Oh God, I'm rambling. I've really turned into a teenage boy.

"Comrade!" Roza interrupted me, "don't worry. I know what you mean. Now come on, someone might steal our picnic if we don't hurry. Can you get the kids?"

"Of course," I nodded as I turned back toward the children.

Approximately six seconds later I heard Roza burst into a fit of laughter as she headed back to the grass area.

Well, at least I made her laugh.

"Okay guys, if you all eat some veggies and drink your water without complaints, we'll stop by the ice cream shop on the way home! Deal?" Roza grinned as she held out her pinky finger.

"Deal!" Came the three excited replies.

"And remember," Roza leaned forward conspiringly.

"Don't tell Mommy and Daddy!" The children giggled.

"I've trained all of you well. I'm so proud." Roza sighed before grinning at me.

I shook my head and turned my attention back on the food. Roza had prepared quite a spread. She had taken a couple pieces of French bread and turned them into pepperoni pizza. She also brought along small water bottles, a fruit salad and a bag of baby carrots. Soon the children began chattering in between their bites of pizza while Roza and I listened and gave enthusiastic responses. Luna excitedly told us about her days at pre-school while Lianna and Luke excitedly informed us about the upcoming family trip to Disneyland. In between, Roza and I gently reminded the children to eat the fruit and carrots as well, smiling at each other exasperatedly as they grumbled a bit. As I sat with the children and Roza, just eating and answering the random questions the children threw at me, I realized I haven't felt this relaxed in the longest time. Sure, training has been rough on us, but more than that, I haven't allowed myself to be this relaxed in a long while. It felt nice.

Suddenly, at the same time I felt a warm hand cover mine, I felt something akin to a jolt of electricity run up my arm. Roza was touching my hand.

"Are you okay?" She murmured, gazing up at me.

I answered honestly. "Never better."

Roza's smile was genuine and thrilled me to no end. "I'm glad."

"Mr. Big Man!" Luna, of course, brought us out of our little moment.

"Yes?" I raised an eyebrow inquiringly as I turned to her.

"Do you have a name?" She asked cutely.

Roza and I both laughed at her sweet innocence. "Yes Luna, I do have a name. And it is not Mr. Big Man."

"What is it then?" All three children leaned forward excitedly.

I had to chuckle at their eager little faces. "Dimitri. My name is Dimitri."

"Mitri!" Came the three excited replies. "Mitri, Mitri, Mitri!"

Close enough for me.

"Mitri, you have a nice laugh." Lianna giggled.

"Thank you," I answered, amused.

"But Auntie Rose says you don't laugh enough," Luke piped up. "Why?"

I turned to looked at Roza, questioningly. Her eyes widened and she looked ago pointedly, slightly embarrassed. So she had talked about me with the children when I wasn't around. Interesting.

"Well I'm a grown up, like you're Auntie Roza. We have to be a bit more serious than you all, so we laugh less," I explained gently.

"Oh but laughing is fun!" Luna cried. "Sometimes, when one of us is sad and Mommy and Daddy want to cheer us up, they'll tell jokes, or make silly faces, or tickle us! Ooh, Mitri! Are you ticklish?"

"No," I answered quickly.

Too quickly. The kids may not have noticed anything amiss, but Roza picked up on it, and judging by the sinister smirk on her face, she had an idea.

"Guys, I think Mitri might be…lying," she mocked gasped along with the children. "I think we should teach him a lesson. What do you guys think?"

They wouldn't.

They couldn't.

"Get him!" Roza cried, and all three kids jumped up and came at me, knocking e backwards while she laughed in the background.

Soon I was trying to control three children, who were climbing all over me, chucking at their antics.

"Auntie Rose! Come help us!" They cried as I fought off their attack, and soon, I felt another weight added on as Roza joined. She was the most evil, her fingers grazing my sides as I squirmed. How could she know that was my most ticklish spot? Damn her.

What felt like an eternity later, but probably was actually a few seconds, I managed to gain control of my body. I gave a jolt, the movement surprising the children as they slid off me, freeing myself from their evil clutches. However, in the process, Roza had fallen on top of me and was now in a rather compromising position on top of me, straddling me. Both of our eyes were wide as we realized what had happened…and how many times we've been in this position.

Those practice sessions at the Academy.

That time during field experience, when she had staked me.

A mere three months ago during our first training session.

Only this time, she was staying on me. Our chests were both heaving as we continued simply staring at each other…

"Wow Mitri! You're so strong!"

And the moment was over.

Hearing the high-pitched voice of her nephew, Roza jumped off me, straightening out her clothes and smoothing her hair out in the process.

She was obviously flustered.

Good. Serves her right.

"Perv," she hissed as she caught my smirk.

"Only for you, Roza," I nearly growled, smirking even more as her expression grew shocked, then lustful, then a bit smug.

To be honest, I was shocked with myself. What has gotten into me?

"Okay kids, I think it's time to wash up! Come on, bathroom's that way," Roza bolted up, holding her hand out for the children.

"Can I stay with Mitri?" Luna pleaded, her eyes going wide.

"Okay, but two have to help him clean okay? I'll come back for you after your brother and sister."

"Okies Auntie Rose!" Luna smiled cheerfully as Roza led the other two children away.

Then she turned to me.

"Are you Auntie Rose's boyfriend?"

I froze as I reached for my water bottle. Slowly, I turned to the, as it turns out, quite inquisitive, three year old.

"No, no I am not." I answered calmly.

"Why not?"

"Because…because of grown up issues."

"Do you wanna be?" The little girl swayed slightly from side to side, all smiles as she fired off her question.

"Well…" Was this something I want to admit to a mere child? The niece of the woman I was in love with no less?

"Yes, I would like to be," I found myself blurting out. Well, apparently I would share my wishes with a three year old.

"Auntie Rose like lilies. You should get her lilies. She'll be happy and then you can be my uncle!" Luna clapped happily.

"Thank you," I chuckled as the little girl nodded cutely, before turning back to her drink.

And then I realized…

I just got a dating tip from a child.

* * *

**Haha, as you can tell, I had a bit too much fun with this chapter. Now, a couple notes.**

**1) Yes, I do hate Tasha (THAT HOE-FACED BIATCH). However, I love Christian, and I felt bad for him at the end of Last Sacrifice, so I let Tasha live in this story. But as you can see, she's happy with a hot German soccer/football player and has two kids. So she's no threat to the Romitri, so please don't come after me for giving her a small role in this. She probably will not be featured in future stories.**

**2) Next chapter: Part two of the weekend!**

**Next next chapter: Back to sims!**

**3) Let's play a game! Next chapter we'll find out the identity of Aiden's GF/the kids' mom. Anyone who guesses correctly will receive a sneak preview of the next chapter! And I'll give you a big tip...**

**Focus on the hair color of the kids. I did mention this in the story. Also, to help you; yes, the mother is a character from the VA book series.**

**Good luck guys! As always, tell me your thoughts in a review, I love you guys' thoughts! I love you all for reading and I'll see you next time!**

**XOXO**


	40. The Weekend: Part 2

**Throw tomatoes later. Read first. :)**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Rose Mazur**

It was nearly five by the time we returned to my apartment. The kids insisted on playing some more and Dimitri and I could not refuse them and their puppy dogs eyes. After a promised stop at the ice cream parlor, Dimitri and I had three hyperactive kids on our hands.

Oh well. Aiden was coming to pick them up soon, and then they'll be his hyperactive little buggers and Aunt Rose can relax a bit.

"Guys! Be careful, don't run into anybody!" I called as I spotted all three kids nearly barrel into my poor door man.

"Sorry, Alexei," I apologized.

"It's okay," he chuckled. "The girls will be walking soon and I'll have to deal with that all the time."

"They grow up fast, don't they?" I smiled.

"Mmm," Alexei nodded absentmindedly, he attention now focused on the giant Russian behind me. Alexei knew all my friends and in the three years I've lived here, I've never brought a random guy home.

Of course...Dimitri wasn't any guy...

"Well, I'll see you around, Alexei! Tell your family I said hi." I called back as I hurried forward, spotting the kids fighting over who got the push the elevator button.

"He seems...nice," Dimitri said softly, as Alexei was still casting him surprised looks.

"It's okay, he's just surprised he doesn't know you. He knows all my friends and isn't used to me bringing around random people." I reassured Dimitri as the elevator arrived, ushering the kids in.

Dimitri looked pleased, and was about to say something until Liana cut in.

"Mitri! Did you have fun today?"

Dimitri smiled down at her. "Yes, I did. You all are very fun."

"You like us?" She squealed happily.

"Yes, very much so." Dimitri smiled fondly. "You remind me of my nieces and nephew."

"Ooooh, you're an uncle, Mitri?" Luna piped up.

"Yes. I have a nephew named Paul. And two nieces, Zoya and Katya."

"I bet you're their favowite uncle! You're fun!" Luke piped up.

"Yeah!"

"Super fun!" Liana and Luna piped up as Dimitri and I grinned at one another.

"Thank you, guys. I sure hope they think so as well."

Soon and elevator dinged, signaling it's arrival on my floor.

"I'm going to grab a quick shower and then change. Can you watch the kids for ten minutes? Aiden should be here soon to pick them up." I turned to Dimitri expectantly after letting everyone into my apartment.

"Of course," he smiled, "take your time."

"Thanks! I'll be right back!" I called back as I hurried up the stairs to my room.

Hopping into the shower, I quickly lathered and rinsed myself just to get the day's smells off of me.

Sure Dimitri might have told me to take my time, but there was no way I was going to risk him being alone with my brother. Who knows what Aiden would do in his over-protective big brother state of mind. Two alpha males in a confined space? Not a good idea, especially when one has been harboring resentment for the other one for years because he's protective over his sister's heart.

My brother's sweet. But still, I did not need him and Dimitri getting into a confrontation today.

I quickly wrapped a towel around myself and checked the time.

Shit. Ten minutes to five. Knowing my brother, he would either show up right on time or be early.

Shit, shit, shit.

_Bra, bra, bra. _I scrambled around my room, looking for at least one clean bra.

Damn it, why did I forget to do laundry Friday? Oh yeah, because I had work and then babysat six kids for the night. Three of those kids still in the living room, being entertained by Dimitri, thankfully. I love my nieces and nephew , I truly do, but they could be a handful at times.

_I'm so wild_, _spending my Friday night with a bunch of kids_, I snorted as I finally pulled out a clean looking bra from the depths of my closet.

_Okay Rose, pull yourself together. You still have more clothes to put on and three kids and an ex-boyfriend waiting for you downstairs._

I managed to find a pair of cute panties and slip those on before also shimmying into a pair of comfortable cotton leggings.

_Top, top, top. Any top will do. Come on! How have we suddenly lost the ability to dress our self? _That annoying inner voice in my head come out.

Dear lord, what has happened to me?

_Hot Russian, sweetie. A Hot Russian happened._

I pulled on a tank top and was pulling my hair into a high ponytail when it happened.

The doorbell rang.

Followed by cries of "Mommy! Daddy!" from three little voices.

Crap.

I burst from my room and sped down the stairs…only to find myself too late. The kids had opened the front door.

And now I had three kids, my brother, Mia, and Dimitri (whom my brother and his girlfriend were not particularly fond of) in my living room.

Great.

"Hey sis!" My brother greeted from the doorway, a smirk on his face while Mia glared daggers at a surprised Dimitri. "How was your night?"

"It was fine, Abi." I gritted out through my teeth, smiling. "How was your game?"

"You mean you didn't watch it?" He raised his eyebrows in mock indignation. "You always watch my games! What made you miss it this time? Or who..." Aiden trailed off, glancing over at Dimitri meaningfully.

"I was watching your kids. They were angels by the way." I sniffed.

"Angels! Did you hear that, Mommy? Auntie Rose said we're angels! Did you hear, Daddy? Did you hear?" Luna chirped, bouncing as her siblings echoed her cheers.

"Yes, babies," Mia laughed, finally looking away from Dimitri.

"Good job, kiddos." Aiden added, ruffling each child's hair. "Why don't you guys go grab your stuff from upstairs and then we can head home?"

"Okies!" And with that, the three ran from the room and up the stairs into the guest bedroom, leaving the adults alone.

"Why is he here?" Mia demanded hotly, glaring at Dimitri.

"Mia..." Aiden tried.

"Because I invited him," I replied, rolling my eyes.

"And why would you do that?"

"Because I want to spend time with him!" I defended.

Mia looked at me like I had just refused the last doughnut. "Are you out of your mind? Do you not remember what he did? How devastated you were?"

"Not now, Mia…" I gritted out.

"Oh, I think right now is as good as time as any," she countered.

"Really? Your kids are going to come back any minute now. You really want them to walk back into this? They actually love Dimitri, you know?"

"Babe, she's right. Why don't you two-" Aiden started, only to be cut off.

"Does he know what happened three years ago?" Mia asked, staring outright at Dimitri.

I had no response to that, but she knew the answer anyway.

"You haven't. " That was the only comment Mia could get out before tiny footsteps could be heard, coming our direction.

"We're ready!" Luna chirped enthusiastically as all three kids skidded to a stop in front of their parents, effectively cutting off anything Mia could say. "Ready to go home!"

"Oh good!" I enthused, "and on the way home, I'm sure you can tell mommy and daddy all about the fun weekend we had!"

"Yeah! Oh, daddy, I love Aunt Rose so much!"

"Me too! Me too!"

"She's my favorite auntie! The bestest auntie ever!"

"Well, guys she's your only auntie, so…" Aiden smiled down at his kids, pointedly ignoring my playful glare.

"This isn't over." Mia hissed. "Lunch. Wednesday. I'll call you with the rest of the details. Be there."

"Bye bye Auntie Rose! Bye bye Mitri!" The three little munchkins chorused, followed by their parents, who spared Dimitri one last look before they shuffled out of my apartment.

I waited a beat before turning to Dimitri.

"I am so sorry," I breathed out, scrubbing my face with my hands.

Dimitri raised an eyebrow. "For what?"

"My brother, Mia…actually this whole day! We didn't really get to spend some time together, just the two of us." I frowned.

Dimitri smiled. "Roza, nothing's wrong. Your brother and Mia are protective of you, I can understand that. And I had fun today. Truly, I did."

I peeked up through my eyelashes, seeing a genuine smile on Dimitri's face.

"Still," I had to smile at his reaction, "I'll make this up to you. Tomorrow will be just us. I promise."

"Okay, Roza," Dimitri's eyes seemed to sparkle, "just us."

"Good. Meet me at this address tomorrow, around ten in the morning?" I quickly grabbed some scrap paper and scribbled down the address.

Dimitri plucked the paper out of my hand, still smiling. "I'll be there."

* * *

"Well, well, well. Look who it is! Miss Rose Mazur, as I live and breathe.

I glanced up from my tea at the familiar voice, and rolled my eyes when I saw who was in front of me.

"Finn, don't you have other women to terrorize this early in the morning?" I frowned as the Moroi man smirked.

"I do, but none of them have captured the heart of my new Guardian, so you're more fun! Tell me every scandalous detail about you guys! Have you two gotten past second base yet? Hell. have you guy gotten on any base yet? Have you thrown the poor man a ball? I mean-"

"First off, Dimitri isn't your new Guardian, he's shadowing Danila for the duration of his stay here. Secondly, you don't need to know anything about what we do, thanks. And thirdly, Danila, could you please make your charge shut it?" I smirked as Danila laughed from his position a few steps away from Finn.

"Rose, I do not think that anyone has the ability to make this one stop talking."

"Hey!" Finn said indignantly as Danila and I laugh again.

"Ahem..."

The three of us turned to the source of the throat clearing.

"Dimitri!" I smiled as he came over to the small table at the Russian cafe I chose for us this morning.

"Good morning, Roza," he smiled warmly at me.

Damn, what a way to start the day.

"Bro! You seriously ditched us, for her? What is this madness?" Finn's voice broke through the Dimitri haze once again. Damn him.

"And!" Finn continued, looking around the small, cozy cafe I was sitting at, "you're eating at my competition! A double act of betrayal! I mean, look at this place! It's hoppin' while my place is freaking empty! They've taken first my customers, and now my Guardian!"

We all rolled our eyes at the man's dramatics.

"Finn, your place hasn't opened yet. You always open later on Sundays," Danila groaned, "in fact, look, you have a line forming."

Danila pointed across the road, a few shops down where Finn's restaurant sat, and where, indeed, an impressive line was forming, waiting for him to open for the day.

'Oh yes! I have a livelihood to make! And these two have a few bases to round! Come, Danila!" And with that, the Moroi stomped off to his own restaurant, with his amused but apologetic Guardian in tow.

"What did he mean by round the-" Dimitri started quizzically.

"You don't want to know, " I interrupted. "Hey! Let's order! They're specialty is blini like your mother would make it."

"That's quite a standard to try to reach," Dimitri smiled as he looked over the menu.

"They try their best to though. Look, they even have a grandma sitting in the main dining room watching everyone!" I gestured into the restaurant, where indeed, you could see a Yeva-like woman sitting by the door, shrewdly watching everybody. Almost everyone who was leaving after their meal said a goodbye to her.

"You know that's an unspoken rule in Little Moscow? If you walk into a restaurant or cafe, and there's a little old lady in the corner, chances are she's the mother or grandmother of the owners and chances are you're eating her recipes. So at the end of the meal, you need to at least acknowledge her existence when you leave. Even if she is scary and Yeva-like."

Dimitri laughed. "Well you have to respect your elders, Roza..."

"I respected you just fine," I teased while Dimitri hung his head, trying not to laugh.

"I should have seen that coming," he sighed.

"Yes, yes you should have," I smirked, taking a sip of my tea.

Before Dimitri could make a rebuttal, the waitress appeared to take our orders.

"Blini?" Dimitri asked.

"Blini," I confirmed.

Nodding, the waitress quickly collected our menus and left.

"Speaking of crazy old ladies," I started, "how's Yeva?"

Dimitri chuckled. "She's fine, still Yeva. Actually, I just got a call from home yesterday, right before I went to meet up with you."

"Really?" I perked up. "How is everyone?"

"They're...they're still the same as always. They actually wanted to talk about you."

"Oh, all good things I hope."

"Of course, Roza," Dimitri rolled his eyes. "The entire ten minute conversation that practically yelled at me and warned me not to do anything stupid with regards to...us. You know my family loves you more than they love me, right?"

"Well, I mean, I am pretty awesome," I sighed, doing an exaggerated hair flip as Dimitri chuckled once again.

A comfortable silence took over us once again, the two of us simply enjoying each other's company.

Until a thought struck me.

"Uh, Dimitri? How did your family know about...us?" Whatever 'we' currently are.

"Mama said she found out through her friends. Yeah, she was not happy about that, that her friends knew about 'us' before she did."

"How would her friends-"

Oh no.

Those idiots.

"I'm going to kill them," I hissed, barely noticing Dimitri's eyes widen in alarm.

"Roza-"

"Your mom's friends...they're my Three Idiot Musketeers' moms aren't they?" I rubbed my temples, my brain already formulating ideas.

"Well-"

"Dimitri," I warned.

He actually gulped a bit.

"It was only two of them...Ksenia and Mischa."

"They're going to die...slowly and painfully...I will make sure of it, bloody idiots. Stupid Russians, stupid-"

"Roza?"

"Yes?"

Dimitri plucked the fork I didn't know I was strangling out of my hand. "Let's not do anything drastic here. You have very loyal friends, as I am learning. They care deeply for you, and I have to admire that. Though I would admire this a bit more if all the scare tactics were not directed at me.

I groaned. "Still, what they're doing is crazy. I'm so sorry you've had to gone through all of this! I'm going to have a talk with all of them very soon, I promise."

"You don't have to, Roza."

"But I will," I shot back as Dimitri rolled his eyes and sighed in resignation.

"What will we be doing today?" He asked, effectively switching topics.

"I'm glad you finally asked," I smiled. "We're going to make black bread."

Dimtiri blinked.

And then blinked again.

And then an amused smile broke out over his face.

"Really? We're going to bake."

"Yes, that's the plan," I nodded.

"We. Us. We're going to make black bread."

"Yes."

"Roza…no offense, but do you know how to bake?"

"Excuse me, but I'll have you know, Dimitri Belikov, that I do happen to know how to bake! You can even ask Pavel, he tried my chocolate chip cookies and said there were good. In fact, ask Nicholas and Abe too! I'm sure they'll give you the breakdown of how good those cookies were. Even better, ask one of the kids next time! I bake with them all the time and-"

"Okay, okay. I believe you, Roza." Dimitri put his hands up in surrender, though he also looked like he was struggling not to laugh. "In fact, I would like nothing more than to spend the afternoon with you making black bread."

"Well I should hope so," I sniffed, taking a sip of my tea.

Dimitri still had that amused look on his face. "Do you happen to have a recipe? I've made Mama's black bread before, but it's been a while so I don't think I can remember all of the ingredients."

"Oh, way ahead of you! I have Olena's recipe right here," I turned and reached for my bag, pulling out the little note card that Olena had given me last Christmas when I had visited. "But I've never been able to make it before. First off, I've been told it's a process. And secondly, the ingredient list is in Russian, so I can't read it. Though, in retrospect I guess I could've gotten one of the guys to translate it for me, but…" I faltered a bit here, "I guess I thought it would be more meaningful if you were the one making this with me."

I peaked up at Dimitri through my eyelashes. His face was one of shock.

"Mama gave you her recipe?"

"Yes? Is something wrong?" I asked, my brow furrowed.

"It's just...mama keeps her black bread recipe closely guarded. It took me years to get it from her! And I'm her son..." Dimitri trailed off, eyes glazed in thought.

"Guess your family really does love me more," I joked, looking down at the recipe card.

* * *

_"But Olena," I protested," I can't even read most of what's on this card. How do you expect me to even attempt to make your famous black bread?"_

_Olena Belikova smiled warmly at me. "Roza you are a smart girl, I'm sure you're more than capable of figuring out how to translate a measly recipe."_

_"Olena! This isn't any old recipe, this is your black bread! I'm so thankful you're giving this to me, I mean, I feel like this is something you have to earn! Well, I know D-Dimitri got the recipe because he's a pig when it comes to this stuff but-"_

_"Oh Roza! Don't be ridiculous. You are a part of this family, I'm happy to give you this recipe. I love you, Roza. We all love you here." Olena's kindness was so genuine, I couldn't help but envelope her in a hug, which she returned wholeheartedly. _

_"I love being here with all of you guys too. Even Yeva!" I joked, to which Olena and I both let out loud laughs. "Though, are you really not going to help me translate this?" I pouted._

"_Oh, I was about to. But then Yeva said-"_

"_You have to figure things out for yourself, girl!" Yeva grizzled as she suddenly appeared in the kitchen. "You cannot just expect things to be handed to you! Dear Lord, youth are so over entitled today…" _

_Olena and I stared after her as she walked out of the kitchen, still mumbling under her breath._

"_Well, this makes sense now. She never could let me have the easy way out," I muttered, looking down at the Russian letters on the recipe card._

"_She never lets any of us, dear." Olena, patted my back sympathetically before returning to preparing dinner._

_Shaking my head, I headed to the living room to put the card in my bag, when something caught my eye. Turning the card over, written in bold cursive script was a message._

_**Keep this safe. When the time comes, you will know when to use it. The Russian winter is harsh, but warmth will return soon.**_

_Crazy old bat._

* * *

"I still can't believe you have my mother's recipe," Dimitri's surprised tone broke me out of my haze.

"Well," I smirked, "grabbing the recipe card out of his hand, "you better believe it, Comrade. Now come on! Let's get shopping!"

* * *

"I can't believe we bought this much stuff to make two loaves of bread," I grunted as Dimitri and I exited the elevator.

"Bread making is an art, Roza," Dimitri smiled as we approached my apartment door.

"Of course you would think that, Comrade," I huffed as I opened the door and hurried to set the bag down so my fingers could finally have some sweet relief.

"Okay, first things first," Dimitri started. "We have to clean all surfaces and lay out all the ingredients and measuring tools."

Typical Comrade. So organized.

"Actually, Dimitri…I think that the first thing we need to do is this!" I laughed as the apron I threw smacked Dimitri square in the face.

Rolling his eyes, Dimitri retrieved the apron and put it on, mirroring my movements.

"We match," I smirked, looking at his tall frame, decked out in one of my navy blue aprons, up and down a couple of times.

Shit, this is such a happy, little domesticated picture. I mean, if we were a couple we'd be that gross couple that is always all matchy matchy. I mean, how nauseating is that?

"Indeed we do, Roza ," Dimitri chuckled as he unpacked the bags, pulling out what felt like a hundred ingredients that we had to painstakingly criss-cross Little Russia to find.

"Are we really putting onion powder and chocolate in this?" I frowned, staring down at the ingredients curiously.

"Yes. That's what Mama does."

"Huh…interesting…"

"Are we also really putting cereal and fennel seed in this?"

"Yes."

"Huh, interesting. Cereal in bread. Also, what's fennel anyway? That's a plant right? I think I've herd Christian talking-"

"Roza."

"Right! Focusing on the task at hand!"

Baking with Dimitri as it turned out, was quite the experience. He, as always, was methodical and meticulous in all his actions, in every step. While I was usually the one in charge whenever I baked in my kitchen, mostly because I usually baked alone or with the kids, today, my little kitchen was Dimitri's domain.

He let me measure and mix together the dry ingredients as he worked with the wet ingredients, melting them down and combining everything into a dark, sweet smelling batter. He was about to let me work on the wet ingredients, but after I told him the infamous stirfry story from three years ago, he wisely though the better of it.

Stoves are evil. Even mine. They're out to get me!

After we combined the wet and dry ingredients in my stand mixer, Dimitri worked the mixture a bit to make it look more like dough before covering it and allowing it to rest for fifteen minutes. During this time, we, of course, cleaned up the kitchen a bit because Dimitri is Dimitri.

"Can you turn on your oven? And set it to 100 degrees? We need a warm environment to let this dough rise." Dimitri called as he put the finishing touches on the dough.

"Yeah, sure," I replied as I punched in the correct temperature. "How long will it take to rise?"

"We need to let it rise twice. One hour for each time."

"Oh, okay," was my simple response. However, my inner response to that went something along the lines of, 'Crap, what are we going to do for two hours as this stupid dough was rising?'

Dimitri set the bread in the oven, shut the door and took a step back before making eye contact with me.

There was a beat of awkward silence.

"Well…" he began awkwardly, "we have an hour to kill. Is there, uh anything in particular you would like to do to pass the time?"

"Well…" I glanced around my living room, looking for anything to latch on to, when a lightbulb went on in my head. "I think I know of an activity that we could do to pass the time…"

I grinned as Dimitri raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Don't worry, Comrade. You'll like it."

* * *

"Roza…this is stupid."

My hand, full of gummy worms, stopped midway to my mouth at Dimitri's words.

"Excuse me?"

"Roza, we've been watching this for nearly two hours now and all this show revolves around is plots against various character, the king sleeping with every woman he can, and his wife's extreme jealousy. Is this even historically accurate?" Dimitri sighed.

"Number one, it's called a plot twist. Number two, Suleiman the Magnificent is his name, and he's a sultan, and number three, she isn't his wife yet. She's just his favorite girl from the harem," I defended.

Dimitri snorted at that last point.

"What's the matter, Comrade?" I bumped his shoulder playfully, "Isn't it every man's dream to have a team of beautiful women ready for your every need, all day everyday?" I finished with a naughty look and suggestive eyebrow wiggle, which made Dimitri laugh.

We were currently watching the interdimensional Turkish soap opera hit _The Magnificent Century_, all about the scandalous lives of people in the Ottoman Court back in the day of sultans and empires. It was like the Turkish version of _The Tudors_, basically. Only way better.

I was nice enough to start at the beginning for Dimitri, so he could get the full story properly. After the first episode finished, Dimitri took the risen dough out of the oven and punched it down between spiting it up and allowing it to rest for another hour.

This meant more time to watch girls backstab each other for the love of the sultan while the men plotted assassinations. Always a fun time…though Dimitri didn't seem to think so.

"No, not every man wants that," Dimitri answered my question.

"Really?" I snorted, shoving the gummy worms into my mouth.

"Yes. Some men, real men, don't need a different girl for each night. He just needs one girl, one beautiful, brave, strong woman with him for the rest of his life."

During his answer, our heads had fully turned away from the TV and our eyes met. Mine seeing the sincerity in his.

"Really?" I repeated, barely audibly.

"Yes. And he'll love and cherish this woman for the rest of their days together. He'll do everything he can to take care of her every need and want, make sure she's happy, healthy…well fed…" Dimitri teased as I felt a blush rise up from my neck to my cheeks.

Dimitri's eyes were immediately drawn to the flush taking over my body, his eyes sensually following it's path from my neck before coming up to meet my eyes once again.

"Roza…Roza I-"

_**BEEP BEEP BEEP**_

We both jumped at the sudden noise, looking around for the source.

"It's just the alarm," I cleared my throat as I addressed Dimitri and reset the alarm on my phone. "We have to get the bread into the oven."

"Right, of course," he muttered as he stood from my couch and headed toward the kitchen.

I watched as he double checked the oven was at the correct 350 degrees before shutting the oven close and returning to the couch.

"How long till it's done?" I blurted out.

"Forty five to fifty minutes," he answered as he folded his large frame into a comfortable position.

Nodding, I set the time on my phone before tossing it aside and focusing my attention back onto the television.

There was a sex scene. A freaking sex scene! I mean, it was pretty tame compared to stuff you'd see on American shows, but still…

Of all the times for there to be a sex scene!

Tilting my head a little, I tried to see Dimitri's reaction to this whole situation we were in.

He was looking at me.

When he caught me looking at him, we both looked away, quickly.

The atmosphere was best described as supremely awkward after that, intensified by the moans coming from the TV.

The sex scene faded away into another scene, and that scene faded into a plotting scene and that faded into another scene before I couldn't take it anymore.

And I busted out laughing.

Honestly, Dimitri and I were both adults , and yet we let a little sex scene revert us to awkward, fumbling teenagers. And then I pictured Dimitri, strong and silent Dimitri, as an awkward, fumbling teenager, and another bout of laughter got to me.

"Care to share what's amusing you, Roza?" Dimitri drawled amusedly.

"You…me…sex scene…" That was all I could get out in between attempting to gasp for air before dissolving into giggles once again.

Dimitri stared down at me for at least another ten seconds…before breaking into laughter of his own.

Together, we laughed and laughed for a good minute before calming down, our laughter becoming more chuckles than anything else.

I wiped away some moisture from my eyes and glanced at Dimitri again.

His eyes were bright and most of his hair had fallen out of the ponytail they were in and there was still a smudge of flour on his arm from when he was kneading the dough and good god he was gorgeous.

And he was smiling at me.

I smiled back.

After a beat we both turned our attentions back to the TV, but I knew neither of us were really focusing on the show anymore. I was more focused on the fact that during our laughing bout we had shifted positions and now, my knee was touching his thigh and his arm was draped loosely around the back of my couch, inches away from my flesh.

This was nice.

The incredible scent of Olena's black bread permeated my apartment, giving everything a nice cozy feeling this slightly chilly Sunday afternoon. It smelled like home

That was nice.

The TV on, the noise of the city coming in from my window as background noise, the smell, the man I was with, to comfort of the situation…they all came together to make the most perfect picture for me.

"I had fun today, Dimitri."

"Me too, Roza."

I didn't look, but I could tell he was smiling.

"Sorry about the flour," I giggled as I recalled my flour sneak attack on Dimitri's poor sweater during the dough making process.

"I'm sure you are," he replied dryly.

…

"Dimitri?"

"Yes?"

"Next weekend, there's going to be a meteor shower. Want to watch it? Together?"

Another beat of silence.

"I would love nothing more, Roza."

Again, I could hear the smile in his voice.

"It's a date."

Yeah…a girl could get used to this.

* * *

**Hey guys! Okay, let's just cut to the chase here. I know I haven't updated in nearly two months, and for that, I apologize deeply and sincerely. Honestly, school started once again and has kicked my butt. Though I suppose this is partially my fault because for some reason, I thought it'd be a good idea to take my two hardest classes, in the same semester. -.-**

**Anyway, besides that, I have no other excuses for not being to update at an earlier time. And honestly, I don't think I can update consistently with my current schedule. I'm really sorry about this guys, but I will try to update somewhat reasonably! I promise I won't go more than a month withot updating, but that's all I can promise right now! And also, remember my goal to finish this story by August? HA! The new goal to to finish it before March, (which seems much more feasible) and start a second story after that and then a third story before June starts. :)**

**So guys, before I get some sleep, I'll leave you guys with what's coming up in the next chapter.**

**\- we get back to training! So we'll talk more about Court developments and watch Dimitri in action more!**

**\- Remember the dashing British man? Well I miss him and I'm guessing some of you might too? So we'll have some Rose and Ben bonding time!**

**Until the next update, have a great day wherever you may be! **


	41. Motivation

**To the anon reviewer - You'll get your Romitri kiss in 2-3 chapters. Please chill.**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

I was currently sleeping in the most comfortable bed I had ever lain in. It was a far cry from my old bed at Court, or even the bed back at Guardian headquarters. This bed was plush and supportive and everything a bed ought to be. And, a far cry from my bed at Court, this bed was warm. So, so warm. I haven't slept in a bed this warm since the night of the cabin all those years ago...

Why was I waxing poetic about a bed?

Why was I so warm?

Why did my bed suddenly move?

Why was I smelling Mama's black bread?

There was another person with me in bed.

Shit, what happened last night?

Roza and I were watching that insufferable Turkish soap opera. Then the time came to pull the bread out of the oven, and the moment we did the whole of Roza's apartment smelled amazing, almost like home. After waiting a few minutes we eagerly sliced into the hot bread, then happily we popped those pieces in our mouths, savoring the flavor on our tongues, braving the still piping hot bread. The slight burn was worth it...and then...and then...and then I lost my train of thought as I watched Roza take another bite of her bread, moaning happily as she chewed.

Okay, after the moaning, I mean...bread tasting, what happened?

Shit. Think Belikov, think think think...

"Good morning, Comrade."

My eyes flew open, to be met with the most glorious sight in the world.

A smiling Roza. Lying in bed right next to me.

"Roza?" I breathed. This couldn't be happening to me. God could not have been this good to me...

Roza laughed slightly, "Morning sleepy head. You're usually up before me, you know? Last night must have taken a lot out of you..."

Last night? What the hell happened last night? "Roza, what are you doing here?"

"Um...I live here? Comrade, are you still sleepy?" She teased, reaching out and brushing a few stands of hair from my face.

My hand caught hers as she pulled back. God, she was so soft and warm and everything a woman ought to be...

"No, no I'm fine. I'm just so happy you're here right now," I grunted, trying to hide the emotion in my voice as I pulled Roza closer into my arms.

This felt right. So right.

"I love you, Roza," I mumbled into the crook of her neck.

"I love you too- BEEP BEEP BEEP."

I pulled back, brow furrowed.

"What did you say, Roza?" I asked again, searching her beautiful face.

"I said, I love yo-BEEP BEEP BEEP."

BEEP BEEP BEEP

My eyes flew open, for real this time.

I took in my surroundings, finding myself in my room at Guardian Headquarters, alone and cold.

I knew it was too good to be true.

I scrubbed my face roughly and checked the time on my still beeping phone.

5:30 in the morning.

I fell back into bed, groaning as I remembered the very nice dream I had and its stark contrast to my current situation.

Wait a second...

I checked my phone again, frowning as I realized I had been woken up nearly an hour earlier than I was supposed. I didn't even set an alarm for 5:30...

"Guardians!" I held my phone away from my body, wincing at the volume, "Please report to the simulation rooms in 15 minutes! Today, we will be having a surprise, early morning practice drills! Do not be late!"

Great, just great.

* * *

"I knew this would happen eventually," Nicholas grumbled as our giant Court a Guardian contingency stood in the still dark simulation room, waiting further instructions.

"You think our partners knew about this?" Pavel asked.

"If yes, I'm going to kick their asses in," Nicholas replied.

We received our answer moments later when the lights abruptly turned on and several Guardians entered the room.

"Good morning, Guardians!" The group grinned at our lack of a response and displeased faces.

"Today is going to be fun. For us. For you, this might suck, but it's a part of the process. Today, we'll be having more work in the sims. In fact, this is what we'll be going all day!" The group again grinned as our group showed their displeasure at the idea. "Today will be like a relay of simulations. After you complete one, you move on to another. All sims have been randomized so you all will have different experiences and different scenarios. We do this because we want to you be prepared for everything and anything. However today we will also we working on team work, so listen carefully. First off, after we're done here, go find your partners in the main simulation room, from there you all will work within groups of eight to ten people to complete each sim. We really are stressing team work today, and we want you guys to work with different people, so please exercise those communication skills we all know you guys have. Thank you, and good luck to you all."

* * *

"We're going to kill you all," Pavel mumbled as we loaded our vests up with weapons, our partners, already in their gear and ready to go, smirking upon our tired group.

"Hey, we're just going our jobs, following directions and all that good stuff," his partner, Matt, laughed.

"Besides, this will be fun! Don't you think so, Nicky?" Nicholas' partner, Olesya, crooned sweetly at him.

"Don't call me Nicky," he grunted. Apparently it was too early for his usual flirtations toward the poor woman

"I think it will be fun," Danila quietly answered as he passed me a dagger, smirking.

"For you," I responded, still accepting the dagger.

The man simply laughed, allowing me to finish putting together my gear.

"Come on, I already have our first room assignment. We're in the same group as Pavel. This shouldn't be too bad," my partner tried to enthuse me as we entered the first room, Agents and Guardians already sitting at the controls, some looking sympathetic, some looking pure evil.

We headed toward the simulation room, where there was already a pair in there, Mikhail Tanner and his partner, Tanner looking just as haggard as the rest of us. We nodded to each other in greeting before sinking into silence, attempting to mentally prepare for the first task of the day. A few minutes later, the last two pairs of our group, Guardian Miller and his partner and another pair whom I only vaguely knew, joined us. We all stood in silence for a few seconds before...

"Guardians and Agents! Welcome to the first simulation of the day." A voice, too cheerful, came over the loudspeaker. "With this first simulation, you guys will be partaking on a rescue mission. You will have 40 minutes to complete this mission, and this sim will be considered a success if and only if you manage to fight, find and break free the Agents that we have already lovingly placed in the simulation, held in a secret location that you all will need to figure out. Now, you might all be wondering, who are the agents that need rescuing? Well," abruptly, a wall of the room transformed into a screen, revealing the identity of the agents.

And they did not look pleased.

"The agents that need rescuing are none other than your instructors! Agent Noble and Agent Mazur!"

"Fuck off!" came the reply, in stereo from Roza and Noble on the screen. The place they were being held resembled a dungeon, with bleak brick walls, a single wooden door and nothing furnishing it but a ratty mattress on the floor that the duo were sitting on, looking rather put out. They were even still in their pajamas, annoyed expressions decorating their features. Clearly, they did not volunteer to do this.

"Ahem, language." The control room jokingly reprimanded. "If our Guardians and Agents in the simulation room could please prepare themselves, the simulation is about to begin."

And just like that, the room became dark and still for a second before the now familiar whirling sounds of a simulation beginning started.

I shut my eyes as the room became more and more lively, and the countdown from ten started, warning us.

"5, 4, 3, 2, 1..."

An alarm blared, and I snapped my eyes open, taking in the scene before me. A mountain, we were on a steep mountain side, the sun low in the sky, indicating it was near sun down. Meaning limited light soon and more nocturnal creatures would be awakening. The terrain looked like it spread for thousands of miles, without signs of life of any form. But we knew better. There was probably an army of creatures out there waiting for us. Hopefully we wouldn't be their victims, or even worse, their next meal. Below, the ground was extremely moist, as if there are recently just been a fresh rain and the slippery slopes were just waiting for one of us to slip down the steep slope of the mountain.

"Okay, I think first we need to figure out an approximate location," Guardian Tanner.

"Yes, most definitely. I think from the preview they gave us we can clearly see that they're in a holding cell of some sort," Danila agreed

"That should narrow down the options. Let's scout out the area. The fact that we are higher up should prove an advantage at finding them."

"Let's split up. Half of us go to the other side too look and the other half checks out this side. What do you all think?"

"Normally I wouldn't split up, but I think we're a large enough group that it will be okay. Kozlov, Belikov, Tanner and Parker, you guys want to take this side while we four take the other side?" agent miller asked.

"Sounds like the best plan we have right now, do we all have our earpieces and mics on?" Danila asked.

All seven of us nodded affirmatively, and soon we split up and set off on our respective scoutings.

"Keep an extra eye out now," Parker cautioned, "for anything that could be considered a fortress or shelter and for any potential threats. You'll never know what can happen in here."

And so the four of us carefully worked our way down and back up the mountain, looking for anything made of brick large enough to hold two people comfortably."

Several times we came across caves, investigating each one thoroughly, though some were too small to even fit half of me, there was no way two people could be down there, and others were large enough but completely empty. This happened for cave after cave, producing no fruitful results for a good part of 20 minutes. With a little over half of the time left, our group was becoming more and more frustrated.

"Anything in there?" Tanner's voice came through my earpiece.

"Negative, and the cave is getting smaller the deeper we go," Danila responded, sighing. "We're coming back up."

"Let's go," I grunted as I attempted to turn my large frame around in the cramped cave, impossible to do with any amount of grace when I was already on my stomach, forced to crawl into the cave.

"I really hoped this would be it," my partner muttered as he too attempted to turn around.

"I really hoped this cave would've opened up a bit," I replied at we trudged out the cave on our hands and knees.

Eventually, I could see light once again as the entrance of the cave neared. Pulling myself up from the crawling position with a groan, I shook my head at the sympathetic look on Tanner's face.

"That's the last cave on this side," I scrubbed my face roughly, "there are no fortresses or any shelters on this side left. They must be on the other side."

"The other team is still scouring a deep cave they found so communication's been shakey. But I've told them to make contact as soon as they get out of there. It shouldn't be long now."

"I think we should head over to their side. There's obvious nothing here," Tanner prompted.

"Agreed, let's go. The sun's also starting to set, and we only have a little over 30 minutes left."

"Pavel, we're headed over to your guys' side, should be there in five minutes. You guys okay?"

"Yes we're still - about to - meet you guys so-" came the crackling reply from Pavel.

"They're probably leaving the cave they found. The mics should work better after they're out," Danila frowned.

Suddenly, a large sound, like someone hitting a gong, resonated throughout the simulation. "Participants, you have precisely 35 minutes left in this simulation," one of the agents voice came through, sounding as if the person speaking was a godly figure, speaking down to us. "35 more minutes to get to our beloved agents," now part of the multicolored sky of the simulation opened up like a movie screen, showing Roza and Noble still in their captivity, napping on their respective sides of the mattress.

An ugly part of me was outraged of the sight as I remembered my dream, how Roza and I shared a bed, how it was me lying next to her and not her beloved partner, how we touched...granted Roza and noble weren't touching and fully clothed, but the caveman in me was not pleased.

"Let's go," I picked up my pace, "light and time are running out."

Within minutes, we had reached the peak of the small summit, or rather I had, the other three were little behind me, I'm sure a bit surprised at my new found endurance.

"We are descending your side of the mountain, Pavel. Are you all out of the cave yet?"

"Affirmative. Also, I think we've located the possible location. Do you see the valley at the base?"

"Yes we do," Tanner replied as the three of them joined me in climbing down the side of the slope.

"Well if you look beyond that, there's a tiny speck of a hut. It's being guarded by a moat, no doubt infested with something, but we're pretty sure that's it."

"Good, we'll be there soon to join you guys. See you at the bottom," I replied, hurrying to get down.

"Uh, I think that it's better that you guys hurry. Have you all noticed that this sim has been practically threat free so far?" Agent Miller started.

"Yeah," Tanner breathed out as we neared the base of the slope, spotting the rest of our team.

"Well apparently there was a reason for that."

"Good God."

We all stared at the scene before us. Indeed, beyond the valley was a small fortress like structure where Rose and Noble probably were located, but between us and them was a valley…infested with Strigoi, their cruel snarls greeting us, and various demons in their various forms as well, apparently working together.

There was a small army of them, and eight of us.

They made the first move, and pounced.

The eight of us suddenly found ourselves running into the clearing, weapons drawn, ready to fight a small army of various evils. This was actually a nice feeling in a way, to allow my brain to switch to battle mode, to be doing some real fighting.

My relief was short lived. This scenario was a killing ground. The trees that were surrounding the clearing, and would have provided good barriers, were quickly knocked down as strong demon and Strigoi bodies slammed against them in the chaos. The ground, which I was pretty sure had been covered with grass earlier was now being splattered with blood. It looked like a killing ground. It smelt like a killing ground. It even sounded like a killing ground, with the constant yowling of various demons, or the high pitched screams of the Strigoi.

"Dimitri! Chakram to your left, now!" Pavel's voice suddenly came through my earpiece as I withdrew my stake from a lifeless Strigoi, and by instinct, I listened.

And good thing too, as the next thing I knew, a pained shriek of a demon came from my left.

I looked to where the sound came from, directing me to the banshee like demon that was looking battered, bloody, and clearly limping from where my weapon has hit her leg. I had barely enough time to take in her appearance before the creature suddenly exploded into dust.

"Pavel, roundhouse kick! Now!" I roared, startling the man into action, performing the kick right in time to land the blow at the temporal of the Strigoi that had been attempting to sneak up on him. Swiftly, Tanner appeared and swung his sword through the neck of the creature, effectively ending it's existence.

"Teamwork men, it works wonders doesn't it?," Tanner said, eyes burning. His hand shook from the ferocity of his grip on the sword.

"Yeah," Pavel returned, nodding at the man in gratitude before we sprung back into the battle.

Almost immediately, a large, burly Raegar demon crashed into me, forcing all the air out of my lungs and throwing me clear of the battleground and into a tree stump, splinters of wood digging into the skin of my back. I attempted to stand, staggering up the moment that I felt the momentum from the attack stop, and rubbing my arm slightly. Looking forward, the demon that attacked me immediately filled my vision, its glowing red eyes leering at me.

"Dhampir," the demon growled, its voice extremely gruff and grizzled, "you die today." The creature then grinned. I took a step back, reaching for the weapons I had.

The beast charged at me.

Immediately, I flung off a dozen or so of the shuriken I had, some of the throwing stars imbedding themselves in the thick skin of the beast, some just bouncing off. This didn't seem to bother the creatures, until I flung one last one, hitting the beast right between the eyes. The Raegar demon stopped in its tracks. Deep annoyance covered it's bull like face as it plucked the star from its skin. This short moment allowed me to have the opening I needed.

"Flamma," I muttered, activating the fire sword, and then charging for the demon.

I managed to get a few good swings in before the demon refocused, roaring, snarling, cursing as my sword scorched areas of its skin.

I had barely finished my last swing before the beast attacked me, knocking me to the ground. The earth slammed back to my head with a brutal force, disorienting me for few seconds. A sudden pain incapacitated me, as it spread from my left shoulder down to my elbow. I wriggled my left hand and felt pins stabbing my injured shoulder. Through clenched teeth, I realized my shoulder was dislocated, a very bad situation to be in right now. The demon's harsh breath was all I could hear in the moment as reached into my back pockets, ignoring the stabbing pain as I needed to complete this mission. Grabbing the daggers I had there, I drove the blades as hard as I could into the sides of the beast. It let out it's most ferocious snarl, one if it's clawed hooves coming up to grab my neck in a chokehold. Quickly realizing I needed to act fast, I pulled out one of the daggers before driving it into the back of the demon, right where its heart would be.

I felt the sticky black blood of the creature splatter as I maneuvered myself out from underneath its struggling form, withdrawing my daggers and then plunging them back into the beast until his form exploded into dust.

I struggled to my feet, hearing another bull-like roar of utter fury and hatred coming from my right. I spotted Danila, similarly overcoming his own Raegar demon.

"Are you okay?" He breathed out as his demon exploded, gesturing to my shoulder.

I winced, but I felt no sharp pain, just a dull throbbing. "I'll be fine."

I looked around the clearing. Dust was everywhere, various body parts ripped off were strewn about, sticky black and red liquid speckled about the ground, staining the earth. Tanner was battling a large group of pixies, his blade fighting off their attacks, a look of pure irritation on his face. His partner was battling, and winning, against the parasitic Shax demon, which was basically a human sized insect-like demon with a tendency to dissect and then breed in the bodies of their victims. Most of the Strigoi were gone however, looking like they had fled, forcing the demons to remain and fight for them.

All of a sudden, I heard a snarl, and moved my arms just in time to block an attack from a stray Strigoi. The female Strigoi arms' were a blur as she lashed out with a quick strike to my shoulder. I ignored the stabbing pain in my shoulder, and retaliated with my own punch to her sternum, throwing her off balance as she stumbled a bit. Must be newly turned, former Moroi as her fighting skills were awkward and lumbering. This gave me an advantage, and I ducked right in time to avoid a punch from the creature, allowing me to swipe at her legs with my stake. She let out a snarl, and fell back, clutching at her shins. Feeling the pain beginning to throb at my shoulder, I used every ounce of my strength and ran my stake through the small opening between her arms, straight through her heart. The creature froze, realizing her mistake too late as her body went slack against the earth.

I took in my surroundings. The pair I was not well acquainted with were finishing off two Ravener demons, the beings yelling out in pain, as their bodies caught on fire and burned, filling the air with smoke and the scent of burning flash and tar. I saw Miller leap away from and lash out at another banshee like thing as a white blur flashed towards him, ready to kill. Meanwhile, on the other side of the clearing, Pavel and Danila were fighting once again, this time against a stronger male Strigoi, and judging by the skill of the Strigoi, it was clear he was an ancient.

Suddenly, the gong-like sound rang throughout the area once again.

"Guardians and Agents, you have ten minutes left in this simulation. Remember, your end goal is to retrieve Agents Noble and Mazur."

And once again, the sky opened up to a screen, showing Roza and Noble, still sleeping on the ratty mattress in the shelter right across the clearing from me. I watched as, all of a sudden, the semi-conscious form of Noble turned toward Rose…and then pulled her body toward his, a spooning position. Then Noble tilted his head forward, burying his nose in Roza's hair, and sighing in apparent contentment.

I saw red.

Luckily, Danila noticed this, right as he finished off his Strigoi.

"Dimitri, Mikhail you two go get them! We'll finish off here!"

I bolted toward the stone shelter, crossing the horrific mess of a clearing in seconds. I could hear Tanner behind me, struggling to keep up, but I didn't care.

I had to get to Roza.

And to get Noble off of her.

Reaching the shelter, I threw open the door, luckily finding the place clear of any threats. The shelter was merely a circular formation with three floors, at least a dozen doors on each floor. Obviously, it was designed this way to piss us off. And it worked.

I climbed the stairs to at a time, busting open all the doors on the first floor, and finding them all empty. Growling in frustration, which caused an already shocked Tanner to look peculiarly at me, I ignored the man, and took off once again to the second floor, busting down more doors.

First door.

Nothing.

Second door.

Nothing.

Third door.

Storage closet.

Forth door.

Nothing.

Fifth door.

Yet another storage closet.

I gritted my teeth in irritation as I approached the sixth door and prepared to kick it down…

Only to have the door swing open, causing me to stumble into the room and fall right on top of an old mattress with…Roza?

I sat up and took in my surroundings, from Roza looking concerned right next to me, to Tanner in the doorway staring wide-eyed at all of us, to Noble, still holding the doorknob, smirking at me.

BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ

"Congratulations Guardians and Agents! You have completed your mission with three minutes and forty even seconds to spare. This simulation is complete."

I heard the whoops of joy from my teammates coming from the hallway, but I paid no attention to them, instead still focusing on the man in front of me.

Noble's smirk grew as we made eye-contact.

"How was that for some motivation, eh? You're welcome."

* * *

**Oh Ben...*rolls eyes lovingly* **

**I know I couldn't get to the Rosen time this chapter, but next chapter for sure! **

**Also, you heard me earlier, Romitri kiss in two to three chapters! Get excited! (Psst, more reviews = better chances I'll make more time in my hellish schedule to write, for you guys!)**

**Now if you'll excuse me, I need some sleep - morning class tomorrow.**

**Have a good day wherever you are!**


	42. Finally

**Yep, I'm alive. Happy belated Christmas!**

**This chapter is dedicated to all of you guys.**

**Because everyone's been wanting a Romitri kiss since like chapter 20. Haha. **

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

"You're stupid."

Ben grinned from behind his drink. "That's not nice, darling."

"Neither was what you did!" I shot, huffing at his still smug face.

"_Well isn't this a great start to the day," I grumbled as Agents led me into the room, no make that cramped dungeon, that I was simulated just for Ben and I's own personal hell._

"_Good morning to you too Love," Ben replied, attempting to scrub the sleep from his eyes._

"_Why do we always get roped into these things early in the morning? Why can't we ever be held hostage in the afternoon?" I glared at the camera in the corner as Ben chuckled._

"_Because we love seeing your beautiful face this early in the morning," came the drool reply._

_Ben laughed as I flipped off the camera and settled back into the lumpy mattress. If I was going to be here a while I might as well try to be comfy. _

_Of course I would be part of Dimitri's sim, I rolled my eyes as our saviors were revealed to us._

_Ben grinned gleefully. "This will be fun, love."_

_I eyed my partner. "You have officially gone mad if this is what you constitute as fun," I muttered as I shut my eyes, attempting to rest._

_And rest I did, for the most part. I woke up every so often to check in on the guys, but they seemed to be doing well and time was definitely on their side halfway through the sim._

"_Love," Ben whispered a few moments later from behind me._

"_Yes?" I responded._

"_Do you want to get out of here quicker?"_

"_Always," I grumbled. What kind of question is that?_

"_Alright then. Then don't react or hit me for what I'm about to do."_

_I could faintly hear the control room telling the guys how much time had elapsed when all of a sudden, I felt Ben's weight shift on the mattress, and he began spooning me before wrapping an arm around me and sniffing my hair._

_I held absolutely still for a minute before responding._

"_What the fuck are you doing?" I hissed._

"_Getting us out of here quicker. You'll thank me later."_

_And sure enough, a few minutes later an angry Russian burst through the door and the simulation was complete._

_Ben looked extremely pleased with himself. _

_I wanted to punch him._

"Let's face it," Ben's voice brought me back to the present, "under any other circumstances, you wouldn't have minded that. You only minded today because of Belikov."

I opened and closed my mouth a couple of times, trying to find a retort before giving up and going with the truth. "So what if I did?"

"Oh, so we're admitting it?" Ben grinned with glee. "Jesus, love really does a number on a person, eh? Normal, non-hormonal Rose would be arguing this with me until the bitter end."

_Don't go for the bait, Rose. Don't do it._

"So how was your weekend?" Ben smiled, switching tactics.

"Fine," I perused the menu even though I already knew it front and back.

"Fine? Just fine Rosemarie?" I didn't have to look up to see the teasing look on Ben's face.

"Yes Benjamin, just fine" I blew out, exasperated.

Ben took sip from his coffee, getting his mug down before leaning forward across the table and smiling straight at me.

"I'm not playing this game with you," I huffed, looking away.

Ben stayed as he was.

I stayed as I was, looking at the table top.

I was not losing this stupid game we played, both of us too stubborn to backdown immediately.

"Are you guys ready to order?" The waitress, Bridget, asked brightly.

"BLT scramble for me with a side of the home fries, thanks." Ben responded, still not backing down.

"Banana cream french toast for me," I practically shoved my menu at the poor waitress.

I refuse to give in first.

"Okay...be right out. Thanks guys!" Bridget sounded close to laughter as she walked away, used to our antics by now.

Minutes ticked by as we sat not even looking at each other, people surrounding us actually conversing, like normal people would.

_Damnit._

I gave in.

"The weekend was great, okay? The kids loved him and we had a picnic and there were swings and it was adorable and then we made bread and watched TV," I huffed as Ben's smile broadened.

"Netflix and chill?" He snickered with a suggestive eyebrow wiggle before I kicked him under the table.

"No!" I shot back, feeling my cheeks burn as some of our neighboring tables turned at the phrase.

"Really?" My partner genuinely looked surprise.

"What's with the face?" I attempted to raise an eyebrow.

"Nothing, it's just with the way he's always looking at you and the years of unresolved sexual frustration you've built up-hey!" Ben protested as I kicked him again.

"Shut up!" I hissed, as Ben let out a hearty laugh.

"Ah Darling, I've missed riling you up."

I felt myself soften a bit at his words. "Damn you and your stupid charming accent. Making it hard for me to stay mad."

"Let's face it, darling. The accent is part of the reason you love me and put up with me."

"Uh, try the only reason I put up with you."

Ben and I smirked at each other from across the table.

"Do you think we're rushing things?" I blurted out.

Ben choked on his drink, his sputters soon turning into laughter.

I crossed my arms, annoyed. Who knew Ben actually sucked at giving out guy advice? "What?"

He coughed out a couple more laughs before answering me. "Darling, it's been nearly five months. Quite honestly, we all thought you two would've been all over each other by now. Hell, Ivashkov even bet that Belikov would be finding a permanent place to stay by now. But no. I guess we underestimated your stubbornness."

"It's just," I started and Ben straightened up and got serious at the look on my face, "I don't want the past to repeat itself."

"You don't want him to hurt you again? For like the hundredth time?" I knew Ben was kidding about the 'hundredth time' part, but he actually wasn't that far off. When you relive the worst moment of your life in your head over and over again, it truly does feel like your heart has been broken a hundred times. "Well, none of us want that either. I don't care about the repercussions with your father. I will break his kneecaps myself if he does anything out of line again."

"Ben," I scolded, rolling my eyes.

"What? I've seen devastated broken Rose, and I don't want to see her again. You're too beautiful to be broken darling."

"Stop it, you're making me feel feelings," I looked down at my food, not wanting Ben to see how touched I truly was at his words.

Best partner ever.

"And Angel forbid you actually feel things," Ben rolled his eyes, though his added wink told me he understood.

"So you don't think I'm going too slow?" I brought us back on track.

"No. In fact, and here's the part of me that actually feels a tad bit bad for Belikov, you may actually benefit from speeding things up a bit." Ben did that stupid eyebrow wiggle again.

"Please stop with that."

"Also," Ben persisted as I face palmed, "if you sped things up a bit perhaps he'll stop looking like he wants to cut off my hands and feed them to me every time I touch you."

"Excuse me, but maybe if you stopped doing stupid things like the stunt this morning he won't keep giving you that look."

"I'm not just talking about things like that. I'm also talking about stuff like when I give you a hug, or even just rest on your shoulder. Friendly stuff. Maybe if you show him a little more affection he'll stop with the looks and I can stop coming into work wondering if today will finally be the day the giant Russian will snap and I get my ass handed to me on a metal platter that he made with his bare hands."

"Noted, I'll work on it this weekend," I took a sip of my tea.

"Ah yes, this weekend. Meteor shower. Driving hours to sit in the dark and stare at the night sky. How terribly romantic of you darling."

"Please stop talking."

"One," Ben held up a finger, "just one more comment, please. For my own personal amusement."

"Fine, one more." I acquiesced.

"Meteor shower and chill."

"I really wish it was socially acceptable for me to throw something at you right now," I sighed as Ben cracked up.

We lapsed into a comfortable, familiar silence after Ben stopped laughing, taking time to dig further into our food.

"I'm sorry I haven't had as much time to be with you on Sundays," I started, breaking the comfortable silence, "I'll shoot for the weekend after next. Dimitri should understand, I mean we've never come to an agreement that we'd spend every weekend together and-"

"Love, slow down now." Ben chuckled. "We never made an agreement that you would come with me every Sunday, and I don't expect you to. I'm fine by myself you know? Plus sometimes the others will ask to tag along. You know Jay came with me yesterday? I think he and Aria are thinking of having another kid."

"Really? Another tiny Jack?" I smiled at the thought.

"Perhaps. I think they're still discussing and just needed to have someone to talk to."

"Still, I shouldn't be putting my life on hold for a guy, and I miss going there," I argued.

"But you also shouldn't be putting your happiness off for any longer," Ben argued back, sincerity in his eyes. "It's been years, Rose. You deserve to be happy and stupid in love."

I smiled at my partner feeling the strong urge to jump out of my seat and give him the biggest hug ever. He truly was the best.

I put my hand over his and squeezed. "So do you Ben, so do you. Never give up on that."

* * *

**Dimitri Belikov**

My feet pounded the earth beneath me as I jogged up the hill toward the top.

It had been quite a week. After Monday's early wake-up call and all day simulation runs, the week had not slowed down at all. Tuesday and Wednesday came and were dedicated to weapons testing. Thursday was once again devoted to simulations, more complex and longer in length as the day went on. By the time Friday finally came we welcomed the news that we would be given half the day off. Though not before we went through one more round of testing, this time on our hand to hand combat skills, the Agents not holding back.

This could only mean one thing.

Something was happening, and we would need to mobilize fast when the time came. However, so far no official meeting had been called and no news had come from the heads of the Elite or the Guardians, but we all knew what was coming.

I shook those thoughts off as I approached the top of the hill, preparing to take a short rest before the jog back down and out of the park.

I stopped short as I got to the top.

Because there, waiting for me, was a werewolf.

The size of a horse, it sat back on its hind legs and regarded me with sharp green eyes, a contrast to its seemingly calm stance.

I took in a quick inventory of my surroundings. There was no one else up here with me, probably due to the early hour. I looked back at the wolf, making eye contact head on.

He, I guessed from the larger size of the wolf, rose and began to approach me slowly.

As he got closer, I got a better look at the features of the wolf.

And then, it clicked.

There would only be one werewolf with that shade of fur and those eyes who would seek me out.

"Agent Chandler," I greeted.

The wolf, Agent Chandler, stopped and let out a low growl in greeting, revealing rows of rather long and sharp looking teeth.

"How are you?" I continued, feeling only a bit ridiculous at what I was doing.

Agent Chandler bared his teeth once more, in an apparent smile. This only smile was a bit menacing, and emphasized his rather impressive canine teeth even better, but still I stood my ground.

"I'm going out later, with Rose to watch the meteor shower. We're heading out to the country." I started conversationally as the werewolf narrowed his eyes.

"I promise I'll take care of her tonight, not that she really needs me to, but still…and, if she allows me to, I'll be taking care of her for a long time after that."

It was a simple statement, but a sincere one. I only hoped the agent would accept it and we could both move on.

Agent Chandler did nothing but look at me shrewdly for a good long while. Suddenly, he crouched and started bolting right toward me, letting out a ferocious growl.

I stood frozen in place. Shit, I wonder if Roza would wonder where I was and would come up here and find me. She knew I liked this running trail the best because I was rather challenging, but also a bit hidden so there were less people about. Though, the isolation was looking more and more like a bad idea as the horse size wolf was headed right toward me, teeth bared.

Right as I braced myself for impact, Agent Chandler leaped up at the last second, jumping right over me and landing on the other side.

The wolf seemed to bark out a laugh before giving me a sharp nod, which I took to understand as a form of understanding between us, before trotting down the side of the hill I came up from.

I became consciously aware of the fact my heart was beating loudly as I watched the large wolf disappear from view, letting out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

Still, that was less frightening than the sandwich.

* * *

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

I turned to look at the beautiful woman lying next to me, gazing up at the streaking light up in the sky. Roza's eyes were alight with wonder and joy, a look on her face that I wanted to see more of.

We had met up in the later afternoon, driving about two hours out of the city to reach this rather popular mountain forest area. Apparently many other people had the same idea as us, to escape the city to view the meteor shower. They were mostly gathered in the larger field, setting up blankets and such in preparation. Roza had guided me through the crowd, towards the woods where we walked for a few minutes before we reached a small clearing. I had no problem with this, the more time alone with Roza I could get the better. And the night did get even better as Roza pulled out a small spread for us along with a couple blankets, the two of us eating and making light conversation, simply enjoying one another's company.

"Yes, quite." I agreed, turning my attention back onto the night sky.

We laid on the blanket in a pleasant silence for a few more moments before Roza shifted, scooting herself closer to me, laying her head on my shoulder and lacing her fingers through mine.

I stared down at our intertwined hands for a beat, trying not to smile like a fool.

"We haven't had a chance to see each other much this week. I hope it wasn't too brutal for you?" Rose started, smiling lightly.

"It's been nothing but brutal," I responded, "but I like brutal."

Roza laughed, a bright full laugh that made me smile. "You're so weird, Comrade."

"Says the girl who put ketchup on her taco."

"That was once! And that was a condiment emergency. Desperate times called for desperate measures."

"Of course, Roza." I responded, grinning at the little huff that came from her, though a peak down showed that she was still smiling.

"Roza?" I started, taking a chance.

"Hmm?"

"Have you heard anything from your bosses? Any information back at Court?" I prodded gently.

Roza sat up at my words, I followed.

She bit her lip, looking down at the blanket, and I felt bad. "If you can't tell me that's fine…I was just wondering with all the testing and simulation runs lately…"

"Oh…it's nothing like that Dimitri, it's just that I really haven't heard any solid information from anyone."

"What do you mean solid information?"

"Well it's just hard to get a clear picture of the situation. We're working with a lot of people to get intel and make sure Court is safe, but there are a lot of conflicting opinions over what we should do," Roza explained.

"Can you tell me what the opinions are? It's okay if you can't," I added the last part quickly.

"Well…okay so we've been looking at the maps lately and we've been getting a lot of Strigoi clusters around Court. Now some think that you all should be sent back to Court immediately, some think you all need more training. Some think that sending you all back now will actually trigger an attack. The clusters are actually docile right now, not doing much and that's what we want right now since we're still figuring things out. Honestly though Dimitri, I wouldn't worry about it too much right now…"

"Roza…do you not know me?" I raised an eyebrow as she laughed.

"Okay I get it, you're a Guardian through and through, it's your job to protect and worry about Court and all that jazz, yeah I totally get it. But really try not to let that consume you, you know?" Roza asked, flopping down back on the blanket. "Focus on training Dimitri. Don't let Court take over your thinking, but use it as a tool, like motivation, during the sims. The better you do in those, the more prepared you'll be in the real fight. Trust me. "

I gazed down at the incredible women next to me, in awe of how rational and well-spoken that was.

"Look at you," I teased lightly, "sounding more and more like me. This is a proud moment."

"Well I am a Head Supervisory Agent," Rose flicked her hair back dramatically, "fancy speeches are part of the job now."

I laid back down on the blanket. "I'm so proud of you, Roza."

She turned and smiled at me, our faces inches apart. Her lips, looking just as plump and full as I remember them, within my reach and begging me to capture them.

I swallowed. Part of me really wanted a kiss. The other part was scolding me, telling me that if we kissed Roza and she wasn't ready, we would have taken major steps back in the progress that we had made over these past weeks. Eventually, the male side of me won out, but just as I was about to go in for a kiss, Roza spoke.

"Dimitri, about Monday…"

Monday? The beginning of this hellish week? Why was she bringing this up? Oh wait…the simulation.

Flashes of Noble's arms around Roza came to my mind, darkening my mood.

"Despite what happened with Ben in the sim," Roza rolled her eyes, "and despite what everyone wants to think or believe…Ben and I were never a couple, and we never will be."

I felt a tremendous weight lift off my shoulders, relief and joy washing over me. I had suspected this for weeks now, but hearing Roza say it, confirm it, made all the difference in the world.

"Yeah?" That was the only brilliant response I could muster.

Roza laughed, and I briefly wondered what my face looked like before focusing on her again.

"Yeah. I mean, Ben and I feel like it's totally obvious that we're not a thing, but other people…yeah not so much. I guess they just have a hard time believing that a man and woman could just be best friends and nothing else."

"Well…you two are rather…close." I nearly spat out.

"He's my best friend, Dimitri. Nothing more, and I know he thinks of me the same way. It's just…well he helped me put my life back together after I got here." Roza's eyes glazed a bit as she recalled. "He was the first friend I made here, the first person I told the complete truth to about us, and yes, I told him _everything_ Dimitri, _everything._ And he sat there and just listened to me, no judgment at all. He helped me build a life here, no ulterior motives, just out of kindness and friendship. And also, we're partners for crying out loud. We get paid to work together, so of course we're close! But you know how people are, especially the teens. They see two agents of the opposite sex working together, and immediately dating rumors start, Rosen becomes a thing, and after a while it just became easier to let them talk than to try to get them to see reason. After all, they weren't horrible rumors, so…why exert so much energy into stopping them?"

"But you guys, uh, never…" I tried to think of the most appropriate word in this situation.

"Boned?" Roza supplied.

"…yeah." I agreed, even though the thought of that word with Roza and Noble made me sick to my stomach.

"Never. And we've never kissed either, apart from friendly cheek stuff. And I can vouch for the both of us when I say neither of us ever desired to do so, either.

"But…why?"

"Are you really questioning this?" Roza laughed.

"It's just that…you're beautiful Roza. Any normal man would be fighting off others to have you all to himself."

Roza smiled sadly. "Ben, doesn't really…well…that's his story to tell. But I know he doesn't see me in that way. It's like the way I see him. Yeah, I acknowledge he's hot and perfectly handsome, but there is no part of me that wants Ben in _that _way. You know what I mean?"

I tried once again not to smile too hard as I took Roza's hand in mine again, my body nearly shaking from relief and happiness. "I understand, Roza."

"Good…Dimitri?"

"Yes?"

"Did you uh…have anyone-"

"No," I cut Roza off quickly, wanting her to make sure this next point was firmly in her head. "There was no one else, ever."

She smiled. "Okay."

"Did you have anyone else? Besides Noble?" Great, now a new worry came over me. I know she never had a boyfriend during the five years, but that doesn't mean she didn't have other-

"Nope."

I raised my eyebrows. "Not one?"

"Yep, well Isabelle tried to set me up with guys, but she and I have extremely different tastes and I just couldn't bring myself to say yes to any of them."

"Why?" Why was I questioning this? I should just be happy and move on but no, I just keep asking questions.

Roza moved closer to me, shifting so now we were both lying on our sides, facing each other. She smirked.

"Probably for the same reasons as you. I guess subconsciously, I was holding out for a special someone."

I wanted to react. I wanted to answer. I wanted to agree with her whole-heartedly and everything. I wanted to rather her in my arms and tell her once again that I love her, hopefully with a better reaction this time. But I couldn't.

Because Roza was kissing me.

* * *

**It's about damn time. ;)**

**Welp, I hope you all don't hate me too much? Haha? The good news now is I'm on break and I feel badly about how I've been absolute crap at updating these past few months, so I shall now attempt to make it up to you beautiful people.**

**I hope you all will send me some love though? In the form of reviews telling me what you thought? Because those are great motivators to write and if I write we might be seeing more Romitri coming up...like perhaps Tuesday?**

**Hope you all have a great day/night and are enjoying the holidays!**


	43. Dances and Revelations

**It's 11:37pm on Tuesday the 29th where I live, so technically, I'm not late! **

**Posting new chapters late at night is my thing...have no idea why.**

**Pic of Rose's dress on my profile**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Rose Mazur**

"You kissed him?!"

"Yes," I grinned as I turned my attention back to my makeup, concentrating on perfecting my feline flick.

Tonight was the annual Elite and Guardian Gala, a night dedicated to simply celebrating our two groups and the work that we've done. Even though everyone got all excited and dressed up, it wasn't a stuffy event like Court events. There were no assigned seats and the food was all finger food but served buffet style. It was truly a relaxed thing, allowing Agents and Guardians to mingle and relax and just have a night to ourselves.

"And you're just telling us now?" Isabella practically screeched as she finished perfecting her hair into loose waves.

"I told you last week I had a nice weekend."

"That's not telling us anything!" My friends shrieked simultaneously.

I rolled my newly perfectly cat-eyed eyes and turned to my girls.

Dianna, Leigha and Isabelle all stared back at me from their respective spots in the room. Two weeks had passed since the night of the meteor shower. Two weeks since my kiss with Dimitri.

And what a kiss it was…

* * *

_I couldn't take it anymore. He was right there, inches away from my face._

_I made the first move._

_I think I was a bit too forceful, but damn, the moment my lips met his, I didn't care anymore. We molded together, fitted against one another perfectly, just like I remembered. Honestly, I had never felt as I did now during the five years we had been apart. I tried to pace myself, to not jump on him and latch onto him until we couldn't tell whose limbs were whose. So I controlled myself, allowing for a slow exploration of the taste of him. Feeling the strength of his arms around me, inhaling the comforting familiar aftershave I hadn't realized I missed so much. I wanted to freeze this moment and keep it forever. Our little moment of forever. Like this was how we should've always been._

_Eventually though, our little moment of forever was stopped by the fact that we both needed to breathe. We both pulled back at the same time, a bit dazed as our eyes met again, but the good kind of dazed. _

_Dimitri blinked once…then several times again, as if he couldn't believe what was happening._

"_Hi," he breathed out. _

_I had to laugh at that. "Hi."_

_Dimitri continued to have that look of wonder on his face. "This is really happening right? This isn't another dream? God I don't want it to be another dream…" he mumbled._

_I stifled my laughter, choosing to let my actions do the talking, and pulled him back into another kiss._

_Definitely the good kind of dazed._

* * *

Leigha looked dreamy as I finished my story, Dianna and Isabelle looking a bit less impressed.

"Oh Rose! That's so sweet," Leigha laughed.

"So…no star gazing and chill?" Isabelle smirked while the other two laughed.

I narrowed my eyes. "Hey, we were watching a meteor shower, so no star gazing and definitely no chilling."

"What a pity. Such a gorgeous man wasted on what? Like first base?"

"Isabelle!" Dianna rolled her eyes while Leigha simply rolled her eyes.

"Not everyone's like you, Is, chilling on the first date. Sorry bout that." I laughed while moving to carefully apply my lipstick.

"So you admit it was a date?" Dianna grinned.

"Yes..." I trailed off while the Isabelle smirked

"A slightly unsuccessful one considering you two don't move pass first base, but a date not the less."

"Not everyone has to have hot wild monkey sex on the first date," Dianna defended with a roll of her eyes.

"Yes but life is so much more fun that way," lsabelle grinned wickedly.

"So are you two getting back together?" Leigha prompted, ignoring Isabelle's suggestive eyebrow wiggle.

I carefully blotted my lips. "We haven't really discussed that."

"What?!" Came three responses of disbelief.

"You guys spent nearly three hours alone together and you didn't discuss that? I would've thought Dimitri would bring the subject up." Dianna's brows furrowed.

"We were busy," I smirked while Leigha giggled and Isabelle's smirk matched mine.

She may have been disappointed I didn't have wild sex under the stars, but I still made out with a guy and that was something Is would always be proud of.

"Okay, well it's been two weeks," Dianna continued. "What have you two been doing?"

"Training," I sighed, and immediately we all sobered up.

Nearly everyone's suspicions were all but proven right.

Something was about to go down at Court. It could be the big fight we were hoping to avoid. I could be something else and much smaller, but something was about to happen and that sent everyone into high gear. Sims were being run everyday. Almost all the gyms were packed everyday was Guardians and Agents alike started working out harder, training harder for the imminent but ominous threat.

We needed to be prepared for everything and anything.

This meant Dimitri and I barely saw each other since our return from the meteor shower. He was constantly with the Court Guardians in the sims and training while I was running sims and training with my team. I knew Dimitri and me needed to talk, hash out what we wanted to go with us and moving forward, but when threats of a mass scale attack were looming, that's gave no time to do that and kinda killed the mood.

"Have the Council called a meeting?" Leigha's voice brought me back to the present.

"Not yet, but I'm sure soon. Ben thinks they'll do it after the Gala." Normally when something was going on, the Council would call together all the Team Leaders and Chiefs of every team brief us on the situation, which we would then tell our teams.

The girls nodded solemnly, mentally preparing themselves for what was ahead.

I frowned. Tonight was not the night to be thinking about this. "Hey, let's not worry about that for now. Right now, let's down, get the guys and go celebrate another year of kicking ass!"

The four of us let whoops before collapsing into giggles, heading out of Isabelle's room to the common area, where the guys sat, watching sports in their fancy tuxes.

"Ahem," Isabelle purposefully cleared her throat.

Five heads turned toward our direction.

"About damn time," Lev grumbled as he turned his attention back to the TV.

Only Chuck stood and went over to us, heading straight toward Leigha and kissing her softly. "Stunning as always, baby..." he trailed off as he leaned in for another kiss.

"You're alright, I guess..." Leigha smirked after he pulled away.

He flashed her a similar look and together they left for the gala."Ladies," Chucked flashed us a smile and a cheesy friendly wink right as they headed out the door, which we readily returned.

"Now...back to our dates," Isabelle cleared her throats once again, and four head snapped our way once again.

Ben sprung up immediately. "You look lovely," he smiled as he offered me his arm.

"That's it?" I teased, "I look lovely? That's all I get? After all these years together?"

Ben rolled his eyes, and then took a deep breath as if to start on a whole speech about how nice I looked tonight. What actually came out was...

"Yes."

He grinned broadly as I rolled my eyes.

"Fine then. Let's go."

"Woah now darling, don't I get a compliment?"

"You look ever so...noble," I fluttered my eyelashes as Ben snorted at the pun he's heard too many times in his life.

"Okay yeah, time to go," he guided us to the door. Behind us we could hear Isabelle and Lev arguing about nothing, as per usual, and Denis and Josh jokingly fighting for Dianna's arm, since their partners had actual dates.

"So I'm rather surprised that I'm here with you," Ben started, "I'd thought you would be off with a Russian and I'd be fighting for Dianna with those two." He nodded toward the trio in the back.

"You thought I would ditch you? Oh ye of so little faith..." I shook my head jokingly.

"Honestly, why aren't you with Belikov? They've know about the gala for a week now. That's more than enough time to work up some nerve and ask you out," Ben chuckled.

"It's just...we haven't really spoken since the night of the meteor shower." I confessed.

Ben stopped short, his face darkening. "Did he do something?" He asked in a lowered tone.

"What no? It's nothing like that!" I rolled my eyes.

"Was it something you did?" Ben chuckled, relaxed now.

"It's Court."

Understanding dawned on my partner's face.

"Ah, love. Even after all this time, dimensions away, Court is still getting in the way of you two."

"I know," I sighed. "We've haven't been able to see each other at all, besides for a couple seconds in passing. He's stuck in training and I'm stuck with you."

Ben bumped my shoulder playfully at the last remark, and the two of us couldn't help but laugh.

"Hey, tonight let's not think about Court. Let's focus on celebrating."

"And getting you and Belikov over a base or two eh?" Isabelle called from behind us while everyone else burst into laughter.

* * *

**Dimitri Belikov**

"So why are you here with us, and not a smokin' lady Belikov?" Nicholas grinned as our little group walked toward the Grand Hall of Guardian Headquarters where the annual gala was taking place this year.

"Watch it," Pavel laughed, "that's our boss' daughter."

"We don't have to watch it," Danila chuckled, "it's my poor partner who has to."

A round of laughter greeted that, save Sergei and I of course.

"But you didn't answer the question, Dimitri. What happened?"

"Yeah, I thought the date went well?" Pavel raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, I know it went well considering the stupid smile he wore that Monday after the meteor shower." Danila clapped my back.

"I wanted to ask her," I admitted, surprising myself with how open I was being. "But there was no time with all the training that we've done in the past two weeks."

Danila, Pavel and Nicholas nodded apologetically.

"It's been a crazy couple of weeks," Nicholas blew out while we nodded in agreement. "But let's forget about that. I mean we all know something big is about to go down soon, so why no kick back and have fun tonight? And while we're at it, get Belikov a girl!"

The other two cheered while I rolled my eyes as we approached the entrance doors.

Perhaps Sergei had the right idea. It seemed the more I talked the more the others took the chance to comment about my personal life.

* * *

Roza loved to dance.

That should've been apparent to me considering her part-time work, but I was becoming very clear to me now.

The gala was admittedly nice. The Grand Hall was lit up in bright lights and with gold and silver décor. A huge table that ran along the length of one wall was set up with an impressive variety of food. The middle of the room was left empty to work as a dance floor with seating and tables scattered throughout for those who wanted to sit. We never had the chance to do this back in our world, Guardians having one night to celebrate our work, so while this was a novel experience, it was one I quickly started enjoying.

It was no secret I was not the most sociable of people, so when other Agents and Guardians approached our little group to converse, I had no problem stepping back and allowing the others to take the lead.

This also allowed me to observe Roza.

She had shown up a few minutes after us, on the arm of Noble. Though it still slightly bothered me, I found myself becoming more comfortable at the sight of them together after my talk with Roza. At first she mostly chatted with fellow Agents and Guardians, her bright personality shining through and showing her true radiance. Of course she then headed toward the table of food, munching as she talked with her team members.

And then came the dancing.

She was beautiful when she danced, the way she gave herself to the music, her body moving fluidly to the beat, to any beat. I knew because she danced right in front of me.

A lot.

Though I knew she was aware I was here, she didn't fully acknowledge me until she started dancing.

The little tease.

She first danced with Noble, the two of them swaying to a mid-tempo beat, laughing as they sporadically threw in a few crazy dance moves of their own. Despite the fact that, and I admit this begrudgingly, their relationship did make me uncomfortable a times, seeing how happy she was as Noble spun her around brought me joy as well.

Next, Eddie appeared out of nowhere , and the two of them danced to a fast paced song, laughing as they danced, throwing in a few moves that I was sure came from their teenage years.

After that, female Agents and Guardians flooded the dance floor as the song changed to a female empowerment ballad, Roza laughing and swaying with Agents Lightwood, Sarati, and Abrams, along with Agent Dobrynin's girlfriend.

After that dance I was determined to have the next…only to be interrupted by Rose's very own Three Musketeers, though admittedly it was amusing to watch her be thrown from Agent Markov to Komarov to Dobrynin.

And then, in the twist of the night, Pavel stepped forward and asked Rose to dance right as she returned from the bar. She, of course graciously said yes, and together they swayed to a slow song. Pavel kept shooting me smug smirks causing Roza to giggle hysterically at his antics.

"That awkward moment your friend steals your girl for a dance before you could," Nicholas snickered from beside me. "I wonder what would happen if I asked the lovely lady for the next dance…"

I glared at the man, not truly meaning it, though he got the message.

Roza's next dance was mine.

And so that was how I found myself standing behind Pavel before the last notes of the song they were dancing to had faded away, clearing my throat.

Pavel turned, feigning surprise. "Dimitri! Why, are you here to ask the lovely Rose for the next dance?"

Roza laughed as she stepped away from Pavel, the sound captivating me.

"Yes, yes I am Pavel," I snapped my eyes from Roza to my smug friend, determined.

"About fucking time," he rolled his eyes as he stepped away and clapped my back, heading for the bar.

Roza and I watched him go.

"I'm inclined to agree with him. You've kept me waiting all night." Roza's teased, as she took my hands and pulled me closer right as the beginning notes of the next song began.

_There's something on my mind…  
There's something on my mind…_

"I'm sorry, though you did manage to keep yourself entertained…" I responded, matching her tone.

"Well a girl's gotta make her own fun when the one guy she wants to dance with won't ask her and spends most of the night just staring at her," Rose smiled mischievously.

I had to grin at that. "Have my stealth skills declined, Roza?"

"Hmm, I'm afraid so Comrade." She tsked me playfully. "What has gotten into you to make you like this?"

I answered honestly.

"You."

_You're miles away, but your heart feels close by_  
_The sun is in my eyes_  
_The sun is in my eyes_  
_They say love is blind, but with you_

Roza grinned, but a faint blush appeared at the same time. "You're cheesy."

"But you love it," I countered quickly.

"Mmmm," she responded, smiling as she laid her head on my chest, fitting there perfectly.

I wanted to stay like this forever.

We moved together perfectly, though the same could not be said about my dance skills as Roza did most of the moving and I was simply content to hold her.

"Well, we've finally found something the great Dimitri Belikov is not a master at," Roza laughed as I nearly stepped on her foot.

"I'm sorry," I apologized as a reflex, causing her to laugh again.

"Don't worry Comrade. A coupe dance lessons with me and you'll be golden," she winked.

"I'd like that," I said honestly.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

_Roses are red  
Violets are blue  
I know I'm meant  
To be with you_

"You look beautiful, Roza." I complimented finally.

And of course she did. She was wearing a sleeveless black floor length dress, the top part of the dress was made out of a sparking material, the bottom being solid save for two slits that allowed for teasing glimpses of her tanned legs every time she moved. It wasn't short, skimpy or skin tight, but it drove me wild.

"Thank you," she smiled up at me. "You clean up pretty nice too. I always wondered how you would look in a bowtie. I like it."

"Really?"

She made that contented sigh again, drawing me even closer to her. "Of course."

I shifted my arms to hold her more comfortably. This caused my hand to rest at the small of her back.

Right where the scars on her back ended.

She stiffened at the same time I realized my blunder. Though I desperately wanted to know what had caused that, I didn't want to push Roza too hard. I had faith she would tell me when she was ready.

"I'm sorry." I made to move my hand, but Roza stopped me.

"It's fine," she whispered.

"Really?" I had to make sure.

"Truly," she nodded, tucking her head back to its resting spot on my chest.

I relaxed, happy to not have caused anything stupid. For the remainder of the song we moved in silence. No words were needed, comfort could simply be found in each other's mere presence. Just like the old times at the Academy.

_I'm meant  
To be with you  
You  
To be with you_

I reluctantly pulled away as the final notes of the song faded away, not truly wanting to let Roza out of my arms just yet.

And then, Roza surprised me, catching my arm just as I pulled away.

"Come home with me," she peered up at me urgently, "I want to tell you about what happened to my back."

* * *

I watched as Roza puttered about in her kitchen, smiling as I saw her double the packets of hot chocolate mix.

My smile faded though, and was replaced with the concern I felt as we left the gala, when she returned with two mugs of the chocolate beverage and a frown on her face. That frown, displaying the nervousness and hesitancy she felt at the moment. That look had been on her face when we left, during the cab ride to her place, the elevator ride up to her apartment…and it killed me to see her like this.

"Roza," I said softy as she snapped out of her trance and met my eyes. "It's okay if you're not ready. We can talk about this later-"

"No!" I raised an eyebrow at her response. "I mean…it's just that…if I don't tell you know, I'm scared I won't be able to tell you again latter. It has to be now." She said, more to herself than to me as she rolled her shoulders and looked me in the eye again.

I smiled inwardly.

My sweet stubborn woman.

"Okay," I set my mug down to hold her hand, to give her support. "Tell me what happened Roza."

I thought I knew what I was getting into. I thought she would tell me about perhaps a horrific accident during training, or the more likely answer, in the field. I was prepared to hear that, I could stomach hearing that. She would tell me the horrific story and I would hold her and reassure her that nothing was wrong, that she was just a beautiful as ever, that it would all be alright.

But I was wrong.

Because what Roza said next made my blood run cold as my world was nearly shattered again.

"I died, Dimitri."

* * *

**Yeah...so that just happened...*hides in hole...with laptop***

***from the hole* Please review and leave me your theories on what happened to Rose! I love reading your guys' thoughts! Have a nice day/night!**

**Bonus! First five people to correctly identify the song Romitri danced to and then tell me the artist, will get a sneak peak of the next chapter! **


	44. The Attack

**A bit shorter that usual, but I feel that the main focal point was delivered well.**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Rose Mazur**

This was what I had been afraid of.

Dimitri's reaction.

"Dimitri?" I gripped my hands in his. "Are you okay?"

There was no response. He simply sat stone still, his Guardian mask slapped on his face, his hands still in my gasp, stone cold.

I think I broke the love of my life.

"Comrade? Please, say something," I pleaded.

This was a hard thing to share with people, that fact that I'd already cheated death twice in my short twenty-three years, though the second time around was much harder to talk about.

_A savage roar._

_The silent scream that tore from my lips as I tumbled._

_Red._

_Red eyes, red blood…so, so, so much blood…_

_Horns piercing my back…_

"You…you died." Dimitri's voice finally forced me to shake those thoughts away for the time being.

"Yes," I nodded. "But I'm okay, Dimitri. I'm right here and everything is fine." I grasped his face with my hands, my thumbs stroking his cheekbones, attempting to comfort it.

"It's not fine, Roza!" He cried, moving to grip my shoulders. "Don't you see? You died! I almost lost you yet again!"

I couldn't take how much anguish was in his eyes right now, how they looked glossy with unshed tears, how he was starting to tremble.

"Dimitri-"

"How did you die?" He whispered. "How!?" I winced as he gripped my shoulders harder.

"I'm sorry," he immediately loosened his grip, but the shaking and devastation remained.

"I want to tell you what happened, Dimitri. Really, I do," I promised, grasping his hands once again. "But to do that I need to get through the whole story…no interruptions. Please."

He nodded, swallowing harshly. "Tell me."

I took a deep breath, preparing myself. "It was about three years ago. I had just gotten to Elite IV and Ben and I had just started out partnership. This was one of our earlier missions…"

* * *

_This was supposed to be a simple mission. A swarm of Shax demons were getting too close to the main portal to the human realm and we had been sent to take them out. Shax demons, which resembled insects with pincers and a tough, armor-like outer layer of skin, were easy enough to take down once you pierced their weak spot. It helped to not think about how they would cut you open and lay their eggs in your still alive body if they managed to incapacitate and capture you._

_It had gone well. The swarm was not a large one and Ben and I took care of them easily, within half an hour. What wasn't easy was the ambush that took place immediately after._

"_HQ, this is Noble and Mazur reporting in. The Shax have been eliminated and the portal is secure. We'll be heading back to HQ soon." Ben radioed into._

"_Copy that, Agents. We're creating another portal to get you guys back. Should take no more than five minutes." _

"_Thank yo-" _

_Ben and I froze as we heard the rustle from a nearby heavily wooded area._

"_HQ, we might have a possible situation on hand, please stand by-"_

"_Ben, right!" I screamed, Ben leaping to his right in the nick of time as the Raegar swung at him._

"_Flamma," I cried and within seconds the sword came to life in my hands as I swung at the beast. I managed to graze its hip, something it was not pleased about as it roared, charging toward me again._

"_Dhampir. You have made a big mistake,"it snarled, dodging the flames._

_I glanced briefly around me to see two more Raegar on Ben. One was severely weakened though as Ben as stabbed it's left side, blood pouring from the wound. The other was much more vicious, possibly angered by what Ben did to its companion. _

_I shook my head. Ben would signal for help if he needed it. I had to take care of my own demon right now._

_I looped five chakram around my finger and let them fly three of them bouncing off the beast while one lodged itself in the demon's belly and the other in the leg. Again, this just pissed the demon off even more as it swiped as me again. _

_I doved out of the way, though not quick enough as one of its claws nicked me in the side. Wincing, I attempted to right my footing, not aware that I as dangerously close to the side of the hill we were on. _

_But the demon did notice. And took advantage of this._

_I pulled out my seraph blade, aiming for the Raegar's already wounded stomach. Gritting my teeth, I plunged the sword forward as hard as I could, watching as it made contact with the being, the sharp blade sinking into the demon._

_This probably was a mistake. While I wounded the demon, I also pissed it off even more. And it costed be dearly._

_The beast in front of me roared mightily as I withdrew my weapon. Under normal circumstances, with a less powerful creature, this battle would be over with the demon flailing about in pain on the floor. But this was a Raegar, one of the toughest demons around. And I had just made it very, very angry._

_I took a step back, as the demon advanced, snaring harshly through its nostrils._

"_You will pay for that…gravely."_

_And with that, the demon knocked the blade from my hand, its claws digging into my hand in the process. I winced, stepping back and turning to watch my blade fall into the earth below._

_And then the next thing I knew, I was falling._

* * *

_I could vaguely feel the damp dirt from beneath my cheek as I regained a bit of feeling and consciousness._

_Shit, had I really lost consciousness? Well, I guess falling and tumbling down a thirty foot hill would do that to you._

_I labored up to my feet, stumbling and hearing my own harsh breaths as I tried to get a grip on my surroundings._

_Okay, I was still in the forest, which was a good sign. This meant that Ben had to be near. I just needed a way to find him. To get in contact with him…how the hell would I do that? Shit, this was just not my day._

"_Rose?" Came a crackling from my ear._

"_Ben?" I turned about, trying to find my partner._

"_Rose, where are you?" I could hear the urgency in his voice._

"_Ben? Where are you?" I was beginning to feel dizzy again. _

_I hated feeling dizzy._

_I gripped a tree branch as I battled through the haze that was starting to take over me._

"_Love, I'm coming to get you. Last I saw you was when we were ambushed. One moment you were fighting right next to me, the next you were gone. Can you give me a description of where you are?"_

_Oh…yeah. I had an earpiece. That's where Ben's voice was coming from._

"_I fell off the hill…"_

"_You what?!" _

"_Yeah…well maybe not fell. I think I remember something pushing me? Yeah, something pushed me and I feel freaking thirty feet. I'm at the bottom of the hill now. There-there's trees. Lots and lots of trees…"_

"_Darling you're not sounding too good. Let me come get you okay? I've already radioed for backup and a medic, they should be here shortly. Just stay where you are."_

"_Kay…" The drowsiness was winning right now. _

_What are you doing? The demon is still out there! This is not the time to pass out!_

_Right._

_I was Rose Mazur. I needed to battle. Hell, I've fought tougher battles than this one. I just needed to stay conscious. Come to think of it, why was I having such a hard time focusing? Yeah I tumbled down a hill but my head felt fine and – oh._

"_**Oh shit." **_

_I finally felt it, the sticky red substance oozing from me at an alarming rate._

_Blood. _

_I was losing blood, and a lot of it. _

"_Rose? What's wrong?" Ben asked urgently._

"_I'm bleeding. There's a lot of it."_

"_Shite. Okay, I'm almost at your location just-"_

_I didn't get to hear the end of whatever Ben was going to say. Because at that second, my body slammed down, meeting the Earth once again. _

_I managed to turn to see the Raegar demon grinning down at me. "Dhampir. Today, you die."_

_And with that, it put one of its feet on my back, pressing down hard enough to knock the wind out of me even more. But I was Rose Mazur. I wasn't about to go down without a fight._

_Reaching toward my boot, I fished out one of the knives hidden in my boot, and plunged blindly, hoping I would hit flesh. The following roar of pain told me I did in fact hit something major, and the next thing I knew the Raegar's foot was off my back. I scrambled to my feet and ran, turning just to see the demon jerk the blade out of his knee. _

_I headed toward an area thick with vegetation, hoping that it would help me in getting the demon off my trail. I could feel myself self-growing weaker and weaker, but I had to keep going, I had to find Ben and get out of here. I had to-_

"_You've angered me greatly, Dhampir. I don't take kindly to targets like you, making this harder for me…no, not too kindly at all," the creature grizzled, right before it threw me to the ground. _

_Earth and I were once again reacquainted as I was slammed into it. And this time, I stayed there as the demon held me down. _

"_You've been nothing-" the Raegar started, digging its claws into my back, the sharp points penetrating my upper back. I attempted to gasp, but even that was a struggle. Breathing was beginning to hurt, each attempted breath becoming short and a sharp pain in my chest._

"_-but a nuance-"_

_A silent scream tore from my lips as it wrenched its hand down, leaving claw marks down my back. The searing pain spreading over my body was nothing as I tasted blood from the back of my mouth, black spots dancing in my vision._

"_-for me. I do not like people like you. Meddlers!" The demon spat, repeating the clawing, over and over again, taunting me with every attack, I'm sure grinning at my inability to act._

_Over and over, I could feel claws digging into my back, sinking deep into my flesh, though with every pass at my back I was losing blood, consciousness. My back was probably torn to ribbons at this point, though that was a dull thought in my head. I tried to scream, but it was muffled as my face was pressed deeper into the earth, my tongue tasting dirt, my head heavy. It felt like I was sinking underwater, every sensation at this point was dulled as I fought to not give into the darkness. _

"_Rose!? Rose! Come on! We've got to – SHIT!"_

"_Ben?" I tried to get up as I vaguely heard my partner's voice. I needed to get Ben, my Ben, my partner, and we needed to get out of here. I couldn't though. My body refusing to move and , my eyes refusing to see anything but the red of blood streak on the ground beneath us…and then…_

_The worst pain._

_This time, I could hear myself scream as I felt the flesh beneath my left shoulder blade puncture, pain exploding and spreading. I wheezed as I attempted to move, but was useless. In fact, the more I tried to move the harder the being pressed down on my back. My breaths turned into wheezes and then…total darkness…_

* * *

"Ben fought off the Raegar, but not without difficulty," I finished my story softly, thinking about the matching scars down my partner's shoulder and arm.

"I was told minutes later backup arrived and helped us take care of the Raegar and the other one that was loose. Ben and I were immediately rushed to the ER, he-he was in pretty bad shape, but I was worse." I looked up at this point to look at Dimitri, rigid on the sofa, his hand slack in mine.

"I lost a lot of blood that day. Several cracked ribs. When the Raegar fell and landed on me, that's when his horn pierced my back…it missed my heart by centimeters, but still, it was bad. I went into surgery immediately and I-and I…" Dimitri's hand came to life and squeezed mine, almost to the point of pain but I couldn't let go, not when we needed each other this much.

"I flat-lined on the operating table," I breathed out, Dimitri letting out a painful sound as I continued my story.

"I was dead for six minutes before they brought me back, the doctors did. That's why, I don't know if you know this, but the bond broke three years ago. I've had no links to Lissa, to spirit, in three years. Medicine brought me back this time-" I gasped as Dimitri suddenly sprang up from his sitting position and captured me to his self, his arms wrapped tightly around me, my faced pushed into his chest.

"Hey, hey it's okay," I attempted to sooth him, rubbing his back comfortingly.

"No! No, it's not okay! It will never be okay, Roza? Don't you see? I could've lost you without any chance to fix my mistakes. I did lose you! Again! And this time was nearly permanent and-and-"

"Shhh, breath for me Dimitri. Breath…there we go," I soothed, fighting back tears at seeing the pain I caused my Comrade. "Shhhh…"

And then suddenly, his lips were on mine. There was no pause or hesitation, no decision to be made or slow approach. Dimitri swept in and his mouth consumed mine. He tasted like wine…and something sweeter but at the same time darker and a bit musky, but pure Dimitri. His tongue swept out against my lips and I let him in, begged him in. He filled my mouth and I couldn't hold back my moans that escaped. I arched into him, shifting and bringing my chest in contact with his chest, and he released a sound like a growl. Thrusting my fingers into his hair, I pressed my tongue into his mouth more forcefully, needing this moment, while wrapping my arms and legs around him. He received my tongue into his mouth and I gasped. I hadn't kissed anyone like that in a long while. One hand at the back of my neck, the other around my waist, keeping me to him, as if with this embrace we could forget all that happened between us.

There was more to talk about, and I'm sure Dimitri had more questions, but tonight was not the night to go through that. Tonight we would be together and I would reassure him that I was here and fine, in near perfect shape.

And, if I had my way, I would be here with him, in more moments like these, a lot more in the future.

* * *

**Leave me our thoughts on this chapter, dears? **

**I know this was long awaited and long overdue and many of you had your own theories as to what happened, so I'm sorry if what actually happened was a bit boring, but this is what I've planned from the beginning. Also, some of you pointed out a mistake I made. In one chapter I said the attack took place two years ago, and in another I said three years, but the correct and final answer is three years. Writers aren't perfect, haha.**

**I also want to congratulate the first five reviewers who correctly answered the song and artist from last chapter. The correct answer is Roses and Violets by Alexander Jean. Some of you had the right song, but you said the artist was Alexandra Jean, and that's not correct. I do see how you made that mistake though, with the song being sung by a woman, but Alexander Jean is actually a duo with BC Jean on vocals and Mark Ballas on instruments. But, I really do appreciate the effort from all of you!**

**And now...let's answer a very popular question!**

**Here's one I've gotten man, many times:**

**Is Ben gay?**

**Answer: No. No offense to the LGBTQ community though as I think they are awesome for fighting for their rights, but in this story, Ben's not gay. Haha. We'll learn more about him and his thinking in the coming chapters.**

**Also, to Fictionlover2005...**

**I totally understand your critique of Dimitri not really going all out and wooing Rose as was advertised. To be honest, there was a lot more wooing planned, but I had to take a step back and look at how long this story was getting. I never intended this story get to these many chapters, and some were totally valid in their opinions that this story was dragging, so I needed to get back to the core conflict and action to right the story again. Now, I also like to think that Dimitri did woo Rose, but in small, everyday ways. There was the daily donuts yes, but also, his interactions with Mia's kids. Seeing how much they adored him and how he would play with them and babysit with Rose, I would consider that a bit woo worthy. Also, he baked bread with her, and for me, a guy in the kitchen making food is also pretty woo worthy. In my mind, Dimitri did have bigger woo moments, but those were most featured in this story. **

**Perhaps in a future one though... ;)**

**As always if you have questions feel free to leave them in a review or PM me and I'll try to get back to you ASAP. Also, FF had an issue where reviews weren't displaying, so although I got the reviews in emails, the longer reviews I could not read entirely and that made me so sad because I love reading your thoughts and commentary on this story! So, if you have questions or wanna leave a longer review, I'd actually send a PM just incase something like this happens again!**

**Now, I'll see you guys this weekend and as always, I wish you an amazing day/night!**


	45. The Aftermath

**Yes, I'm still here! I hope you're still here with me and don't hate me too much...**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Dimitri Belikov**

The rays of sunlight that were beginning to penetrate into the room woke me up from my sleep.

I was exhausted. Completely and utterly exhausted in every way possible, physically, mentally and especially emotionally.

Roza died.

My Roza died.

But she came back. She came back to me.

I would never to be able to thank modern medicine enough for bringing her back. I would never be able to love enough Roza's sheer will and determination for bringing her back to me. Without those two things she could've slipped away from me…this time forever.

Wait a minute.

Where was she?

That thought chased away any lingering exhaustion in my system as I sprung up, though Roza should have prevented me from doing so. I remember falling asleep with Roza held tightly against me…

I looked around my surroundings. I was still where we fell asleep last night, on Roza's couch. I was still in my white shirt and dress pants, having taken off my shoes, jacket and bowtie last night. Everything was accounted for…except for Roza.

This was her apartment, she couldn't have gone far. I made to move off the couch when a rustling of paper caught my attention.

A note. Of course.

_Dimitri-_

_I have two morning classes at the dance studio today. Please stay and make yourself at home. I'll be back around 10:30. We can get some food._

_-Rose_

She wanted me to stay. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding, chuckling at myself at my momentary absurdity. She had given me no indication that she wasn't happy with my presence, last night being proof of that.

Just then, I heard a slight rustling from outside and then the sound of a key being inserted into the lock.

I turned to the clock by the table, wondering who that could be. Roza wasn't due back for another hour…

The door opened, and Ben Noble entered the room, looking surprised to see me.

We stared in silence for a moment.

"Hello," he finally greeted me, a look of amusement on his face while he surveyed the area.

"Hello," I greeted back.

"Nice night?" His featured quirked up into a sly smile.

I wish.

"No, not really." I replied.

"Oh? How…disappointing."

"Rose told me about what happened. With her back." I clarified.

Realization dawned on Noble's face.

"Ah, I see." He sighed as he took the seat across from me, seeming to have prepared himself for this exact moment. "And, if I may ask, how are you feeling?"

There was a beat of silence whilst I debated whether to confess to the man or not.

Why not?

"Exhausted," I offered up, sinking back down into my seat.

Noble nodded, seeming to understand my meaning. "I imagine it must've been a lot to take in."

What an understatement. I nodded my agreement though.

"Thank you," I said suddenly, having the words just blurt out of my mouth, though I meant the words to my core. "She told me of how you saved her, about what happened to your arm and shoulder…just…" The horrible thought made me pause to gather my emotions and thoughts. "Thank you," I said thickly, my accent more pronounced as the emotions threatened to take over.

Noble, who was thankfully silent this entire time, nodded. "She's my partner, more importantly my friend. I did what anyone would've done."

"You saved the love of my life. I can never thank you enough for that."

"I didn't save Rose. I played a part in saving her. You see, ultimately, Rose brought herself back. I fought off the remaining demons and radioed for help. When backup came, they, along with a team of helicopter pilots, airlifted Rose and I to the hospital. Doctors and nurses at that hospital operated on her, but ultimately, she died. And none of us brought her back. I was told when she flat lined, the doctors and nurses did everything they could to bring her back. They were the ones who were scrambling about, doing everything they could, but at the core, they didn't bring Rose back. They were even about to call the official time of death. Ultimately, Rose brought herself back. In the six minutes that she was dead, she brought herself back. Through sheer will and determination, Rose Mazur rose from the dead. Now, we can attribute this miracle to science, but I think we both know that at the end of it all, it was all Rose."

There was silence for a moment as we sat, me processing Noble's words while said man simply stared back at me.

"It's something to think about, eh?" He clapped me on the back before getting up heading to the kitchen.

"I just came for this," he mentioned to the file left on the island, "I'll be heading out now."

* * *

The door knob turned slowly, catching my attention as I took the toast out of the oven.

I met Roza's startled eyes as she entered her apartment.

"What's going on?"

"I'm making a late breakfast. I thought you would be hungry."

Her eyes lit up. "You're feeding me?"

I smiled as I saw the dreamy quality that entered her voice everything food was brought up. Somethings never change.

"Yes, I am," I chuckled.

"Sweet! I'm starving! Dancing takes a lot out of you." Roza unzipped her jacket, further revealing her outfit. A cropped black top that displayed her wonderfully toned stomach and a flowing bright red skirt, hiding her lean legs and making me stop in my tracks and stare.

"Let me go change and shower and I'll be right back. I'm all sweaty and gross," Roza called as she ascended the small stairway and disappeared.

I busied myself with finishing breakfast and tried not to react when I heard a squeak of pipes, indicating that Roza in the shower. Wet and naked. In close proximity to me.

_Focus on the food you idiot!_ The rational part of my brain screamed.

Right. Food.

* * *

"Oh god…so good," Roza whimpered, her eyes closing in pleasure.

"I'm glad you think so," I swallowed harshly, overcome with how beautiful she was right in this moment. "Do you want more?"

"Oh God, Dimitri! Yes!" Her eyes lit up as I shifted over to give her what she wanted.

"Thank you for doing this Dimitri. It's the best I've had in a while," she continued, humming happily.

"Really?" I tried to keep my voice neutral.

"Definitely."

Roza opened her eyes and sighing contently, practically beaming at me.

"Best hash browns ever." She did that small moan that drove me crazy before taking another bite of the potato dish. "How'd you learn how to make such a good breakfast?"

"My mama," I replied automatically as I shifted back into my seat, not realizing quick enough how lame that sounded.

Roza laughed. "You're so cute," she cooed, leaning forward to lightly pinch my cheek.

For the first time in a long time, I felt my cheeks redden just a bit, though they felt like they were on fire from her touch.

"You're beautiful," I responded, meaning it earnestly.

"Comrade please, I already know that. Roza threw back with a flip of her hair, though I did notice her grin widen even more.

I mock sighed disappointedly. "It's nice to see somethings never change with you, Roza."

Her only response was a content sigh as she leaned back in her seat, picking up her tea mug.

As she leaned back, the sun hit her right at the perfect angle. Her hair, loose and still slightly damp from her shower, still managed to shine beautifully in the sunlight. Her smooth skin was practically glowing and looked so soft and supple and…kissable. Her eyes were glowing to, alight with happiness…happiness that I hopefully brought about to her. God, how had I managed to live without this for so long was beyond me…why I had fought so hard against this was also beyond me because mornings like this, with my beautiful Rose, having a nice meal in her balcony overlooking a beautiful city, this was my new heaven, my new happiness.

And I won't lose this again. I can't.

"We should do this more often," Roza sighed happily before bringing another forkful of eggs to her lips.

"I'd love nothing more," I replied honestly.

We beamed at each other for a moment before a ping from my phone broke us out of our moment.

I looked down at my phone, seeing I had received a new text from Pavel.

_Drinks later today near the pier at the usual pub during happy hour. We need to talk._

I looked back up at Roza, who was looking back at me expectantly.

"Do you want to go down to the pier with me later?"

"I'd like nothing more."

* * *

"Alberta, I've missed you so much and these past years have been…have been…ah fuck."

Agent David Reid glared at his reflection.

"Come on! Man up! You can do this!" He growled, smacking the counter in front of him.

"Talking to yourself. Oh my dear partner you have finally gotten old and senile. What a pity." Agent Heidi Matthews smirked at her partner as she entered his office, files in hand.

"Can't you see I'm in extreme stress?" The man groaned.

The female agent snorted. "You are a fifty eight year old man who can't strike up the nerve to ask his ex-girlfriend, the only person he has ever loved, his soulmate, out on a proper date. This is pathetic, Dave."

"Nearly twenty years of partnership, and this is how you help me in my time of need. Thanks for the words of encouragement, partner." The agent groaned, scrubbing his face roughly while Heidi laughed at his expense.

"This isn't rocket science, Dave. Hell, you fought demons as a career for most of your adult life. You have no trouble doing that, but asking someone out scares you?"

"This isn't just anyone. This is Alberta we're talking about! I mean-"

The ringing of a phone cut the man off, catching both of the agents' attention.

"Reid," the man answered as his partner listened in.

"Agent Reid. This is Agent Patterson at the base at Court. We've figured out who's behind the Strigoi movement. And the motive."

* * *

***gasps* Oh my...I sense we'll be heading back to Court soon...(Yes, this means Lissa!)**

**Anyway, a little fluff to get us back into the swing of things!**

**Well I'm sure most of you don't want to read a whole paragraph about why I was MIA for this long. Basically school started and I got a job and life in general got busy. I really am sorry for this delay and hope you all are still (somewhat) interested in my story? **

**Also, any typos are my mistake and will be fixed later.**

**Anyway I have a midterm to study for, so I shall go do that. **

**Hoping you have a great day where ever you are!**


	46. The Meeting

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Rose Mazur**

It was a damn set up. A trap. A coup.

And I would've never suspected them.

_**Fifteen minutes ago**_

_"Little Dhampir, how nice to see you! We've missed you!" Adrian jovially raised his glass to greet me._

_"What are you doing here?" I narrowed my eyes accusingly for several reasons. First, there was no reason Adrian and Sydney would all of a sudden be chummy with Dimitri's group. Secondly, Adrian and Sydney had been traveling all over Lux and the surrounding states, sending us annoying pictures of them posing in front of landmarks usually accompanied with a caption like, "Wish you all were here…but not really!" And lastly, the smug look coming from Adrian could not be good. Especially since Sydney wasn't doing anything to reign her boyfriend in, no, she was staring at Dimitri quite intensely._

_"It doesn't matter why we're here, but it does matter that you are." Sydney answered, glaring at Dimitri._

_"Yeah, basically…you need to leave." Nicholas smirked._

_"Excuse me?" I scoffed._

_"We have to talk to Dimitri…alone," Pavel said simply._

_I narrowed my eyes at the man. "What stupid stunt did you plan?"_

_Pavel smirked. "What makes you think I planned this?"_

_"You're the head goon," I rolled my eyes, ignoring Nicholas' indignant protest._

_"If he's the head goon, what the hell are we?" Nicholas whispered loudly to a still-faced Sergei._

_"Did my dad make you do this? Or one of my team members?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at the group in front of me._

_No one answered, in fact, most of them looked extremely smug. Save for Sergei, who looked bored as usual, and Danila, who actually look apologetic._

_"Roza," Dimitri gently gasped my arm, making me look at him. "Please, just let them do this. The sooner we get this over with the better."_

_"That's the spirit, Belikov! Have a seat! Rose, go away." Adrian happily kicked out a seat for Dimitri as I fumed._

_But Dimitri was right. "I'll be at the outdoor bar," I huffed at I turned, heading toward the outdoor patio area, but not before turning around and shooting a hard glare at the group again._

"Refill?"

"Yes, please." I nodded thankfully at the bartender as he topped off my wine.

I narrowed my eyes at the look of glee on Adrian's face, the open windows allowing me a partial view of their little group. That look could only mean trouble for Dimitri.

Suddenly, I noticed Pavel, demonstrating a motion that looked he was mimicking breaking a knee cap, his massive arms making swift, jerking movements.

Adrian and Nicholas turned to look at me immediately, the two idiots flying into raucous laughter as they noticed my furious expression.

I would get them back for this one day, when they least expected it.

_Bssst Bssst_

The vibration from my phone turned my attention away from the group and onto the text message from Ben.

_When you get the chance, check your email._

Frowning, I pressed the appropriate buttons to do just that, and found one new email from the council.

_Agents,_

_Tomorrow, Monday the 14__th__, we will be having a meeting at 9am. All Agents are required to attend. Please arrive promptly._

_This meeting is urgent and mandatory._

_Thank You,_

_The Elite Council_

I wonder that could be about…

The sudden scratching of chairs on wood floors caught my attention, effectively cutting off any train of thought I had of the email.

"Can I get a pint of your house brew? And a shot of vodka?" I called down to the bartender, who nodded and quickly set about to assembling my order.

An apologetic looking Danila was the first to leave, shooting me a sheepish look on the way out, followed by a grinning Adrian and a serene looking Sydney. Sergei left next, looking like…well Sergei. And lastly, Pavel and Nicholas happily waving goodbye at me as they left.

I waved back…with my middle finger.

"That's not nice, Roza," Dimitri laughed as he sat down.

"They're not nice," I shot back, to Dimitri's amusement.

What he was about to say was cut off with the arrival of the bartender, placing Dimitri's pint and shot before him.

"Thank you, Roza," Dimitri smiled after thanking the bartender.

"You deserve it after talking to them."

Dimitri laughed at my pout. "Thank you for worrying about me."

"I just don't trust my friends not to do anything idiotic. And apparently, you can't trust your friends either." I rolled my eyes.

"They all just care about you," Dimitri protested back. "They want the best for you."

"What would be best for me is for them to stop pulling these little stunts. I feel like they're doing this more to mess with me than you. Like they want me to go off on them."

Dimitri grimaced. "Roza, I don't think anyone actually wants that."

"Hmm?" I half turned toward Dimitri, an absent-minded smile on my face.

The gears in my head were turning, thinking of all the ways I could get back at them.

You know, for the emotional distress they've caused.

My grin widened in response to my thoughts.

"Roza, that smile worries me," Dimitri frowned. "It reminds me of your father."

"I find the older I get the more I become like my old man. Maybe that's not such a bad thing," I grinned, taking a sip of my wine.

Dimitri groaned, his face dropping into his hands, scrubbing roughly.

"Don't worry Comrade, I'd never do anything to you. You're too pretty." I cooed, patting his hand.

Dimitri looked back up, groaning, about to protest, before I silenced him with a kiss.

Any more groans of protest stopped after that.

* * *

"Good morning, darling." Ben grinned as I plopped down in the seat next to him.

"Good morning, my sweet." I grinned back at him. "You seem more jovial than usual this lovely Monday morning.

"So do you," he responded.

We playfully glared at each other, sizing each other up to see who would give first.

"I just had a nice weekend, that's all." I finally answered, breaking first.

"Mhmm, and does that nice weekend have anything to do with drinking on the pier with the giant Russian? Watching the sunset? Hmm?" Ben grinned, wagging his eyebrows.

"How the hell do you know about that?" I gaped at him.

"Eddie saw you guys and sent out a mass text."

Ben burst into laughter at the look on my face.

Well, there's another one on my hit list.

"Do you all have nothing better to do on your weekends than to stalk me?" I rolled my eyes.

"Hey, I wasn't there! I just got the text! If anything, blame Eddie." Ben defended himself.

"Oh, I am…" I shook my head, ideas already forming in my head.

"That's a dangerous look," Ben frowned.

"Why does everyone say that?" I mused, flashing Ben a slightly hysterical smile.

"We had a breakthrough," Ben suddenly said.

It took my mind a moment to accept his words and process what he just said. But when I did…

"Holy shit! Really?" I turned to my partner, gasping his arms excitedly.

Ben nodded vigorously, that sweet school-boy smile on his face.

"Babe! That's amazing! Why didn't you tell me immediately? Oh my God, this is amazing!" I couldn't help but gush, throwing, my arms around my partner, my friend. So, so happy for him.

"I-I couldn't believe it at first, you know? After all these years and-and…" He trailed off, overwhelmed with emotion.

"We're celebrating tonight! Drinks, after work and-"

"Rose! Thank you, thank you so much!" The arrival of Lev and his boisterous voice cut me off, ruining the moment.

"What'd I do?" I rolled my eyes turning to my excited team member.

"You won me, Ben, Leigha and Eddie money! Three thousand to be split between the four of us! Oh wait, Nicholas too, make that between the five of us."

"You all kept that stupid bet going that long?" I gaped at my team, shocked, as more of them entered the Great Chamber.

"No, we stopped that bet since Belikov refused to punch anyone in the face. We started a new one about how many punching bags and dummies he would destroy in lieu of decking someone. Sydney won that one." Dianna explained.

"Then we got bored and started a new one about how long it'd take you two to get together," Isabelle added.

"And how long has this one been going on?" I used my official team captain voice.

"Like a month and a half?" Josh supplied helpfully.

I opened my mouth to respond, when a deep booming bell tone rang out, signaling the beginning of the meeting. A hush fell over the large crowd as the Elite council filed in, one by one, standing in the middle of the chamber.

Their faces said it all.

Something big was about to go down.

"Thank you all for attending this meeting," Agent Reid started, his usual light-hearted demeanor absent.

Agent Reid picked up where her partner left off. "As you all know, in the absence of the Court Guardians, we have sent our own Agents, members of our Special Operations team, to replace them. In addition, the Guardians have also sent in Guardians of their own. You all also know that while our people have been there they have been assessing the situation. Collecting data and intel on why so many Strigoi have congregated around Court."

"Now we all know that Court is a large enough target as it is, with all those Royal Moroi living there, but we've never seen anything like this before. Strigoi have rarely come together and work together like this before. Even more strangely, they seldom wait to strike as they have." Everything Agent Courcos was saying was entirely true. "We've been watching for weeks now as more and more Strigoi arrive, yet they have not done anything. They've been congregating in caves near Court, merely observing, but not striking. For weeks we tried to figure out why. Why they were showing up in droves. Why they haven't been acting on their impulsive, but innate need to attack swiftly. Why, against their nature, they were seemingly all working together."

"Well, yesterday we got our answer." Agent Savalti pressed a button on his remote, lighting up the large screen behind the council. A blurry photo appeared, many of us squinting to attempt to make out the scene, even those with enhanced senses seemed to be having problems. You could vaguely make out that it was a photo of people getting off a plane, though there was nothing out of the ordinary about that. Agent Savalti pressed another button, zooming in on a grey blob and simultaneously sharpening the resolution of the picture.

"This was taken yesterday at a small private airfield in Pennsylvania, quite a ways away from Court, but of course he would want to maintain a low profile. This is a human run airfield, so in addition to the Strigoi, we have reason to believe he has humans working for him."

And the moment we could all clearly see the picture, you could hear the almost simultaneous reaction from everyone in the room.

It couldn't be. He wouldn't be able to do this. He was too weak…

"As we all know, a year and a half ago Court Guardian forces tracked down Victor Dashkov and Robert Doru. The two have been on the run for nearly five years now. The Guardians had orders to only bring Dashkov to Court so he could be sent back to Tarasov prison. Of course, we all know it didn't happen that way. Both men, though getting up there in years, fought back, threatening the lives of the Guardian cohort that was sent to retrieve Dashkov. In the frenzy, Victor Dashkov was killed by a Guardian. Robert Doru watched has his brother was killed before his eyes. Now, Court Guardians did detain Doru, but the man had a complete and utter episodic mental breakdown."

I could see many of us nodding along, hearing about this on the news. Though they were half-brothers, Victor was the only family Robert had left. His death must've caused Robert's dive off the deep end.

"It appears he did become lucid enough at some point to escape Guardian custody, managing to flee Court. Now, due to his age and mental state, he was considered too frail to be considered a threat. However, we now know this was a big mistake."

A new picture appeared on the screen. A map of the world with red dots scattered across everywhere appeared.

"As all you also know, Strigoi have been going to Court from all over. We have managed to obtain flight information under any aliases Robert Doru uses. For the past several months he has been traveling the world, gathering a Strigoi army. It appears that he has been both working with existing Strigoi and creating new ones before ordering them to Court."

"And here we are now," Agent Reid started. "The arrival of Doru signals that whatever attack he wants to launch will be starting soon."

"This means we have to get into action as well." Agent Masimoto stated sharply. "So, starting at the end of this week, Court Guardians will be sent back to Court in groups, day by day, so we do not severely alarm Doru. With a Strigoi army of this size, we believe he'll have some organization to do before he can attack. Hopefully by the time he does decide to attack the Court Guardians will all be back. Additionally, we believe that we can get a have start on offense. There are some Strigoi occupying more isolated regions around Court. We're hoping to perhaps get to them before they plan to attack, help our defense as well."

"This means that this last week is crucial. For this week we want more simulation training, emphasizing combat and weaponry. By Sunday expect to have the final group of Guardians back at Court. This does not give us a large window of time, but these are the cards that we have been dealt."

All nine of the Elite Council Leader peer around the room solemnly.

"We have faith in all of you, in the Guardians, and in the Court Guardians to succeed. We believe that if we all work together, we can help save Court and eliminate the threat. But we need to be well versed with the situation at hand. So, if you all check your emails, you have been sent files containing all the information we know thus far. Please go over this information and plan accordingly. This is the last week we have to prepare, after that, who knows what will happen."

* * *

**Well guys, this is it. We're in the home stretch! We have a chapter or two more of prep, two chapters of actual confrontation, and then the end...plus an epilogue or two.**

**My how the time flies...**

**Anyway, please tell me your thoughts!**

**Did any of you see this coming? **

**Did any of you catch the Ben and Rose interaction, what could that mean?**

**Please leave your ideas in a review, I love reading them!**

**And as extra incentive to review (haha), if you answer the following question in your review, I'll send you a little sneak peak of the next chapter.**

**The question is...Who do you picture in your head as Ben? Please tell me who in a review, and you'll get your sneak peak! Honestly, the answer field is wide open with this one, so name anyone (actor, singer, model) who is your ideal Ben!**

**Is this a shameless attempt for me to get to Google potential eye candy and drool over them at my computer?**

**Why yes, yes it is. ;)**

**As always, have a nice day/night wherever you are!**


	47. See You Later

**Disclaimer: I own the plot and idea. I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights go to Richelle Mead.**

* * *

**Several miles from Court…**

"There are no Guardians?" Robert Doru raised his eyebrows in surprise as his two most trusted advisors relayed him the news.

"We've scarcely seen one since our arrival here."

"But then the perimeter of Court cannot be breached?"

Two pairs of eye-ringed eyes narrowed in annoyance. "Yes," the female hissed, "we've tried every method conceivable, but it seems that they have developed some new sort of ward for extra protection. We even recruited a human boy to try, but even he could not enter Court. Of course, after his failure we took the appropriate steps to dispose of him."

"He will be no problem for us anymore," the male Strigoi smirked.

Robert sighed. "Well done. Let me think of a way to break this new ward. Is there any other new for me?"

"No, sir. Well, just yesterday we discovered one of our outposts was burned to the ground. The group that was assigned there, all gone; no trace of them. We found no evidence of foul play, so they must have deserted the cause." The female looked disgusted at the lack of loyalty. Couldn't they see that this was the greatest chance that they have ever had of taking down the Moroi? Once they figured out how to breach the perimeter, it would be the greatest bloodbath in history. This event would go down in history as the day the Moroi monarchy, and society as it was now, ceased to exist.

"That is to be expected." Doru sighed, not surprised. "No matter, we still have a great number of you here and eager. In fact, could you call everyone together now? Run a drill to see preparedness thus far. I expect much from you all. As soon as I learn how to breach the ward, we attack."

_And Victor will be avenged._ He felt a faint tug at his heart as he thought about his late brother, thoughts of revenge the only thing keeping his realty weakened body and mind going these days. The thought of ending the life of the Guardian's that ended Victor's. The thought of taking down the society that shunned him and so many others that they arbitrarily deemed "outcasts." The thought of showing the Royal Moroi the error of their ways. This all kept him going. The Moroi's arrogance and ignorance had continued on for too damn long.

It was time to end it. A new era would begin.

"We'll start on the drills now. By the time we're done the Moroi won't know what hit them." The female's voice brought him out of his thoughts, and back to reality. He had a war to wage.

"Thank you, Sonya. Your help is most greatly appreciated."

* * *

**Rose Mazur**

The mood was subdued after the meeting. Right as our meeting ended, the Guardian meeting, which was the same time as ours, was also let out. From across the street we could see the streams of Guardians heading back to work, though rather reluctantly and looking downcast.

I knew the feeling.

After months of training and preparation, it was all coming down to this. Months of hard work and training and ass kicking were all coming down to this.

But I knew, we all knew, it was more than that.

In the several months that they Court Guardians had been here, bonds had formed. Though originally, we judged them, with their blind devotion to the Moroi and their outdated fighting styles. Some of us laughed at the beginning, eager to kick butt and show them just how woefully behind on the times they were. Some of us relished the first day, where we tested all of the Guardians and basically kicked their asses, the Elite IV common room full of laughing Agents trading stories that first day. But against all of that, through the trainings and through meals shared with one another in the great dining hall, against all odds it happened; friendships had grown.

We couldn't deny that their near unshakable devotion to the Moroi was a great show of loyalty, and that their fighting techniques, though outdated, were classic. Their willingness and eagerness to learn were common traits that we all shared, and welcomed. And then, somewhere along the way, talking about fighting tactics and trading battle stories morphed into trading stories about families, and talking about which restaurants had the best home cooking, and what time to meet up to geta drink at one of the many pubs around the city.

A working bond was not the only thing that formed, but friendships did as well.

Hell, even a few flings and romances had happened.

And now they had to go back.

Of course, phone numbers and social media accounts had been exchanged (after some people had to create one), but it wasn't the same. Besides, with our jobs and the eminent threat, there wasn't much time to be killing time on the Internet.

"Life's a bitch, isn't it?" Dianna sighed as she entered the meeting room, her eyes sympathetically meeting mine.

I smiled weakly back at my friend. "Yeah, but what can you do?"

"So…what are you two gonna do? Long distance? Or…well I don't see any other better options…"

"How many long distance relationships do you know that work out?" I shook my head.

"Tons," Dianna answered assertively. "Though…an interdimensional long distance relationship might be trickier."

"I know," I laughed shortly. "I mean, do those things even exist?"

Dianna shrugged helplessly. "Okay, maybe I don't know about that. But you know what I do know?"

She looked at me meaningfully.

"I do know that you two care for each other deeply, hell, let's face it, you love him. And he loves you. And there are people in world who would kill to find love. And you found it. I mean, there was the whole "we-can't-be-'cause-society-says-our-age-difference-is-unacceptable-for-a-normal-relationship," thing, and then the whole "I-don't-deserve-love-I'm-a-monster-blahblahblah" and then your thing you had a few years ago about "I-don't-need-a-man-love-doesn't-exist-life-sucks-then-you-die," but somehow, through all of that mess, you guys managed to find your way back to each other. And under the weirdest of circumstances. I mean, where have you ever heard about a story like your guys'? Boy and girl meet, boy does stupid stuff to lose girl; but then, in a twist of fate, boy and girl are reunited because the boy's world is falling to near pieces and need help from an organization of fighters _from another dimension_. Like really, I know none of us are particularly religious, but…this sounds a lot like fate. Something, some magical force, says you two belong together. And to be completely honest, I'm totally on board with that. We're all totally on board with that. You guys are just…magnetic when you're around one another. We ship it."

I rolled my eyes as Dianna smirked at me.

"You know how much I hate that word."

"I personally like that word a lot better when it's not referring to us," Ben quipped as he entered the meeting room, tossing his manila file on the table.

"Romitri does have a better ring than Rosen," Dianna faux-mused, ignoring my eye roll.

"You did not just say that. I'm going to pretend you did not just say that." I shut my eyes and cringed while my so-called friends laughed.

"It does though. I've been saying for years Rosen sounds like medicine," Ben smirked.

"Oh my, do you have a sore throat dear? Let me get some Rosen for that! With the power of Rosen, you'll be back to normal in a jiffy!" Josh enthused with a cheesy smile, his natural southern twang coming out.

"You know what, I need to talk to someone who will just listen. I'm taking my lunch now. Be back in an hour." I huffed as I turned to toward the door.

I felt a hand gently clamp down on my shoulder as I passed. I turned, meeting Ben's grey, mirth-filled eyes.

"Squeeze once for yes, twice for no."

I couldn't stay mad at him.

Stupid charming accent.

"Thanks," I smiled back at my partner.

"Behave," I jokingly warned Josh and Dianna, who responded with mock salutes, as I headed out the door, out of Elite HQ, to St Juliana's Hospital.

* * *

**Dimitri Belikov**

This was it.

Months of training and preparation has led us to this moment.

I never would have guessed I would hate this moment as much as I did now.

After one last week of training and having every single possible scenario thrown at us during simulations, we were going back to Court and leaving Lux behind. Back to the usual routine, where I worked the same shifts, memorizing the same routes and paths of Court over and over again to keep myself from going completely insane. Back to the monotony of being a general Court Guardian.

Months ago, I wouldn't have minded. This was all I was used to, so I accepted it without fail.

But now?

I didn't want to go back…I truly, genuinely wanted to stay here.

I wanted to learn more about fighting techniques here. I wanted to get to know more people here, a first for me. I wanted to take the subway down to Little Russia and get food almost as good home. I wanted to spend my days with Finn and Danila, taste testing food and watching as Finn flirted with woman after woman while Danila and I talked about anything and everything. But most of all…most of all I wanted Roza. I wanted to bake more with her, to watch more ridiculous television with her, to job through the park together on the weekends-

" Митя."

I turned to the open door of my soon-to-be old room here at Guardian HQ, see the man who had not only been my partner for the past few months, but had turn into a dear friend as well.

"Данила."

We greeted each other with strong pats on the back.

"Good luck, my friend," he said as he gripped my arm tightly before releasing.

"Thank you. With what you all have managed to teach me, I'm sure I won't need luck." I smiled tightly, trying to ease the mood.

He barked out a laugh. "You never needed luck or anything else anyway. You just needed some people to come in and teach you some new moves."

"Who knew a rigid old dog like me could learn some new tricks?" We both chuckled humorously.

"Finn apologizes he couldn't come since he has to be at the restaurant, but he wants you to know he loved having you. He says given the choice he would pick you over me," Danila rolled his eyes.

"Nice to know I would have a job if I were forced to stay here," I chuckled.

Though, being "forced" to stay here would not be a bad thing at all…

"Man, just know whatever happens in the future," Danila started, "know that I'm here if you ever need anything. And that it was an honor to work with you. And the other guys too. I wish you all the best."

Pavel, Sergei, and Nicholas were all returning to Court as well, since Janine was also returning to Court and Abe Mazur refused to leave her.

"It won't be the same without you-"

"Comrade."

My words cut off, while Danila smirked. I reluctantly turned to the very woman who was occupying my thoughts for most of the past week. I say reluctantly because I knew what she was here for.

To say goodbye.

"Oh sorry," Roza sheepishly smiled as her eyes darted to Danila. "I can come back later, let you guys talk-"

"No!"

I realized too late that I had said that…and basically shouted it.

Danila couched violently to cover up his laugh while Roza smiled, amused.

"I think we've said everything we need to say to each other. I'll let you two talk."

"Thanks Danila," Roza smiled at the man as he walked past, shaking with restrained laughter.

And now we were alone. The past week was a whirlwind of preparation, leaving absolutely no time to relax. We even worked through the weekend, no one wanting to be unprepared. This meant I spent a lot of time with various Guardians and Agents, but not nearly enough time with Roza, as she was busy as well with other aspects of the preparation.

She pauses for a few long seconds, and we allow the seconds to pass us, neither once of us, I presume, wanting to break the silence and start the inevitable goodbye. I studies her, drinking her in hungrily because I don't know when or if I'll see her again. I allow my eyes to linger on her skin, her scarred, but incredibly soft and supple skin. More tanned now than before thanks to increased exposure to the sun, her tan emphasizing her exotic features, and giving her an all-around, beautiful glow. God, I'll miss that. And her hair. God, her hair. I'll miss that too. Shit, who am I kidding, I can't just pick one thing…I'll miss all of her. My cheat aches at the thought and I resist the urge to rub my chest to soothe the ache.

_Roza,_ a small, weak part of me whimpers.

_Shut up. If you want to have a breakdown, do it later, in private. _I berated myself to keep it together.

"You know they're starting to load up the cars. You might want to get down there…" Roza finally breaks the silence.

I shrug. "Probably."

"My, my. How you have changed, Comrade. A couple months here and now punctuality doesn't matter anymore?" She teases lightly. "Doesn't that bother you?"

_No…especially since it means being punctual means I have to leave you sooner…_

"People can change," I smiled slightly as Roza laughed.

"Sure Comrade, sure."

"Do you think we're sufficiently trained?" I blurted out.

Anything to break the silence now. To hear her speak.

Her eyes met mine, "Of course," she said simply. "You all were amazingly trained. You just needed to see that your guys' fighting style were still stuck in the Middle Ages."

We both smiled weakly at her attempt to lighten the mood and my poor attempt to put off the inevitable.

She had a job to get back to.

And I had a plane to catch.

I felt suddenly aware of just how close we were standing. Somewhere in that sorry excuse for a conversation, we had moved closer to one another; our bodies attracting without our minds consciously aware. The thought of saying goodbye brought another round of that ache to my chest, but I couldn't bring myself to look away from her. My eyes swept over the soft waves that fell across her forehead, framing her gorgeous face, to her warm hazel eyes, and lingered on her plump rosy lips. I suddenly felt feverish with the immense restraint it took to keep my hands by my sides, I wanted so badly to reach out and run my knuckles against the smooth expanse of her neck. I hadn't felt this feeling before Roza, certainly I never felt this with the few girls I dated in my teenage years— this urge to touch another person so strong that I felt as if I was burning from the inside out.

Roza must have felt the same way, as her eyes never left never left mine as she stepped closer. Slowly, she reached out and took my hands in hers.

"Let's not say goodbye," she whispered. "Let's just say…see you later."

"Okay," I responded, my voice low. "No goodbyes."

"No goodbyes," she echoed, as our bodies finally met, our foreheads touching as our hands squeezed one another's strongly.

"I love you," I breathed out harshly, trying to gain control of my breathing, of my emotions.

"I love you too. I always have…I always will."

Her response did it.

Fuck control.

I ran the tips of my fingers lightly from the soft skin on the inside of her wrist up to her elbow and back down again. She shivered, and I felt her lean into me further as she raised her face to mine in a clear invitation. She watched me through eyes hooded with desire as I brought my hand up again, this time going to that stunning mane that I adored so much. Gently pushing a thick section of her hair off of her shoulder, my hand lifted, and was free to freely cup the side of her neck, and explore the soft flesh there. Her thumb stroked mine burning cheek as she leaned and I leaned and together, slowly, we closed the distance between us before my lips brushed across hers.

I liked to think I kissed her gently at first, but my mind was dizzy with the overwhelming feelings I was currently experiencing. All I knew was that, all of a sudden, I was kissing her with with greater pressure. Roza wrapped her arms around my neck, and I ignored the slight pain in my ribs from a fresh sparing bruise as she wound her fingers through the hair that lay against the base of my neck. With a ragged gasp, my hand went around the small of my back, pulling her tightly against me. I could feel her heart racing, flush against my own, and I was sure she could feel mine as well, pounding against her's. I reached up with my other hand to weave my fingers through her hair, needing to feel the silky strands between my fingers. She let out a small moan against my mouth as she moved her hands, brushing her hand across my collarbone, running her finger softly along a faint scar I had there from an old injury.

Then, without warning, a sharp rap sounded on the door, and we broke away, startled. I kept her safely in the security of my arms, my chest rising and falling rapidly against her own as our eyes burned into one another's.

"Hey, Dimitri! We're about to get into the cars and woah!" Nicholas stood in the doorway, his eyes wide as he took in the scene before him.

"Well, well, well. I was wondering where you were and here you are. With the lovely Rose. What were-" Luckily Nicholas was cut off by the arrival of Pavel, who took in the scene, and rolled his eyes.

"Stop being stupid," he growled as he dragged Nicholas away, shutting the door behind him.

Slowly, I unwound my arm from her waist, and moved away from her, standing straighter before her.

"Well," she breathed out, her chest heaving, her hair wild, her lips swollen, "I think that's your cue to go down stairs, before the cavalry returns?"

"Yeah," I harshly breathed out, trying to calm myself down.

I couldn't delay the inevitable any longer.

I heaved my bag over my shoulder, and together, Roza and I left the room and descended the stairs until we were at the lobby of the building. Guardians and Agents were everywhere, mostly loading luggage into the SUVs, but there were some saying their goodbyes as well.

I spotted Pavel standing near one of the Elite's black SUVs, waiting for me.

This truly was it.

I let go of Roza's hand, and stepped toward the doors.

"See you later."

"See you later, Comrade."

* * *

**Don't worry, I can't keep them apart for too long! ;)**

**I thank you all or your reviews from the last chapter! It gave me alot of opportunities to Google potential eye candy, and I was not disappointed!**

**However, only one person caught the interaction between Rose and Ben, and hazarded a guess as to what that was about. So, I'm going to give you guys a chance again!**

**Why do you think Rose went to the hospital?**

**Also...holy shit, Sonya!**

**Review with your theories and receive a preview for your efforts!**

**I thank all of you as always for reading, and I hope you have a good day/night wherever you may be!**

**PS - Next chapter I'll talk about my future story idea!**

**PPS - Has anyone ever head of the Turkish actress Fahriye Evcen? In some of her pictures, especially the younger pics, she totally embodies my ideal Rose! **


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